Ownership: Can we really own anything
‘Ownership’ as a legal and practical term has obvious uses and meanings. But can we really ever ‘own’ something, outside of the legal definition of ownership-as some natural tendency or inherent proprety of ourselves? I do not believe that we can. Let me say why.
The first reason is that ownership does not apply to anything except humanity. No object, animal, plant, or bit of matter or energy is ever described as ‘owning’ anything. Ownership is obviously, then, a concept constructed by us, and not an inherent characteristic.
The second, and perhaps stronger argument, is the impossibility of defining any relationship between physical things as ownership. Does an atom own it’s electron(s)? Perhaps they are loosely connected for some time. But ownership? It is preposterous. Though we legally own many things, morally and metaphysically, we cannot own anything.
Exept maybe our thoughts, but only because they are nonphysical…
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