ts, we use the universal term "white" to describe both of them. They belief that "white" is a general term and our language does not have a specific or proper name for each of the two universals. This argument seems very elementary. We use this term "white" for a reason, because we see the color white in so many things. We this use this term to describe things because of its constant recurrence. There is no need to have proper names for every single object. As Armstrong stated universals are sparse. In an attempt to correct the problem of having the particular of a property found wholly in two places at the same time the trope theory evolved. In many ways the trope theory is similar to the theory of properties as universals. Tropists also believe that tropes are very sparse. Also, there are only as many tropes as there are genuine similarities. Tropists too believe only in instantiated tropes and not in uninstantiated tropes, like the universalists. All tropes must have a space and time location.Where the tropists and universalist differ is in what way the particular property is found. Tropists believe that properties are in fact particulars. But, they think of a particular such as the roundness of a penny as being found only in that penny. Tropists believe that a certain trope is found only in a particular object. They label the properties as tropes, just like universalists call them universals. However, tropists believe that when two objects resemble each other they have matching tropes. Remember though that these are not the same tropes, two different objects cannot have the identical trope. Since the same trope is not wholly located in all objects with the same property, it seemingly takes care of the problem of being located in multiple locations at the same time. Someone can accept universals and deny that universals are in space at all. Also, one could argue that the trope theory faces a similar problem. If ...
