Law of Relative Identity

A principle that identity is not absolute but relative to a sortal or framework. Something can be the same F but a different G—e.g., the same river (as a watercourse) but not the same collection of water molecules. This law challenges the idea that identity is monolithic, arguing that what counts as “identical” depends on the criteria and category we use.

Example: “He is the same person (biologically) but a different person (morally) after his transformation. The law of relative identity captures this without paradox.”

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 24, 2026