Panpsychism and the metaphysics of properties

Abstract A version of panpsychism emerges from a critical overview of the metaphysics of properties. The “powerful qualities theory,” according to which all concrete properties are equiprimordially powerful and qualitative, enjoys a general advantage over other major theories of properties. But it faces some issues. Chief is the Collapse Argument: the powerful qualities theory struggles to define powerful qualities in a way that distinguishes them conceptually from pure powers. But this issue is avoided by a variant of the powerful qualities theory which makes powerful qualities “powerful qualia”: essentially dispositional instances of phenomenal consciousness. I reject a few attempts to sever the link between this powerful qualia theory of properties and panpsychism. The result, and the view I endorse, is a version of panpsychism: a panpsychism of powerful qualia.

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Publication Details

Journal
Asian Journal of Philosophy
Published
2026-02-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44204-026-00381-4
Primary Topic
Philosophy and Theoretical Science
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Panpsychism and the metaphysics of properties

Nicholas Osborn
Asian Journal of Philosophy
Philosophy and Theoretical Science
article

Panpsychism and the metaphysics of properties

Nicholas Osborn
article en

Abstract

Abstract A version of panpsychism emerges from a critical overview of the metaphysics of properties. The “powerful qualities theory,” according to which all concrete properties are equiprimordially powerful and qualitative, enjoys a general advantage over other major theories of properties. But it faces some issues. Chief is the Collapse Argument: the powerful qualities theory struggles to define powerful qualities in a way that distinguishes them conceptually from pure powers. But this issue is avoided by a variant of the powerful qualities theory which makes powerful qualities “powerful qualia”: essentially dispositional instances of phenomenal consciousness. I reject a few attempts to sever the link between this powerful qualia theory of properties and panpsychism. The result, and the view I endorse, is a version of panpsychism: a panpsychism of powerful qualia.

Asian Journal of PhilosophyVol. 5(1)
University of Tasmania (AU)
Australian Government
Reduced inequalities
Openalex Percentile: Top 63%
Philosophy and Theoretical Science
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