Occasions of Identity

An exploration of timeless philosophical issues about persistence, change, time and sameness. Gallois offers a critical survey of various rival views and puts forward his own theory: that it is coherent and helpful to suppose that things can be identical at one time, but distinct at another.

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Occasions of Identity is an exploration of timeless philosophical issues about persistence, change, time, and sameness. André Gallois offers a critical survey of various rival views about the nature of identity and change, and puts forward his own original theory in the face of the prevailing orthodoxy. He argues that it is coherent and helpful to suppose that things can be identical at one time, but distinct at another - in other words, that there are genuine occasional identities. Gallois defends this view against objections, demonstrates how it can solve puzzles about persistence dating back to the Ancient Greeks, and investigates the metaphysical consequences of rejecting the necessity and eternity of identities.