more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
It is unnecessary to call moths 'caterpillars' or caterpillars 'moths' to see that they can be the same individual. It may be that our sortal concepts reflect our beliefs about continuity, but our beliefs about continuity need not reflect our sortals.
Gist of Idea
Seeing caterpillar and moth as the same needs continuity, not identity of sortal concepts
Source
M.R. Ayers (Individuals without Sortals [1974], 'Realist' vi)
Book Ref
-: 'Canadian Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.131
A Reaction
Something that metamorphosed through 15 different stages could hardly required 15 different sortals before we recognised the fact. Ayers is right.