noun
- The plural of haecceity; the quality or property that makes an individual thing uniquely itself, distinct from all other things even of the same kind.
Usage: philosophy; formal; technical
Examples
- Medieval philosophers debated whether haecceities were essential properties or merely accidental features.
- The haecceities of two identical twins distinguish one person from the other despite their physical similarity.
- Duns Scotus argued that haecceities explain how individual substances maintain their unique identity.
- Understanding haecceities is central to metaphysical discussions about personal identity and individuation.