One of the fundamental principles of philosophy is the concept of identity. This principle states that things are what they are, and they cannot be something else. In other words, an apple is an apple, and it cannot be an orange. Similarly, an orange is an orange, and it cannot be an apple.
But what does this have to do with comparisons? When we make comparisons, we are essentially trying to understand the similarities and differences between two things. But if we accept the principle of identity, then it follows that any comparison is necessarily apples to oranges.
This is because when we compare two things, we are comparing their individual identities. We are not comparing them to some abstract concept or general category, but to themselves. For example, when we compare two apples, we are comparing two distinct apples, not apples in general. And when we compare two oranges, we are comparing two distinct oranges, not oranges in general.
So any comparison, by definition, is always apples to oranges. We are comparing two specific things, not some general concept or category. This is true whether we are comparing apples to apples, oranges to oranges, or apples to oranges.
But isn’t this kind of comparison flawed? After all, the saying “compare apples to apples” suggests that we should only compare similar things. However, this argument does not necessarily imply that all comparisons are flawed or invalid. In fact, comparisons can be very useful for understanding and analyzing the world around us.
What this argument does suggest is that any comparison is necessarily apples to oranges, and that we should be aware of this when making comparisons. We should not assume that we are comparing apples to apples, or that we are comparing things to some abstract concept or general category. Instead, we should be aware that we are comparing specific things, and that these things have their own unique identities and characteristics.
In conclusion, any comparison is necessarily apples to oranges, not apples to apples. This does not necessarily make comparisons flawed or invalid, but it does mean that we should be aware of the specific identities of the things we are comparing when making comparisons. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding and more accurate analysis of the world around us.
TS
18.02.2023
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