Identity and Discrimination

"The decades of research since Identity and Discrimination was first published have shown how badly a theory of indiscriminability is needed for understanding a wide range of philosophical problems. Williamson's discussion has numerous applications in metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind." --Susanna Siegel, Harvard University "This is the first book of one of our greatest philosophers. Unrelenting in his clear, thorough style, Williamson presents a groundbreaking epistemic account of indiscriminability. The unified vision underlying some of Williamson's best-known subsequent work---on vagueness, identity, and knowledge---emerges here." --Delia Graff Fara, Princeton University

Identity and Discrimination, originally published in 1990 and the first book by respected philosopher Timothy Williamson, is now reissued and updated with the inclusion of significant new material. Williamson here proposes an original and rigorous theory linking identity, a relation central to metaphysics, and indiscriminability, a relation central to epistemology. * Updated and reissued edition of Williamson s first publication, with the inclusion of significant new material * Argues for an original cognitive account of the relation between identity and discrimination that has been influential in the philosophy of perception * Pioneers the use of epistemic logic to solve puzzles about indiscriminability * Develops the application of techniques from mathematical logic to understand issues about identity over time and across possible worlds