Percipi 2 (2008): 49–65 ISSN 1995-8307 The Relation of Compresence in the Bundle Theory: Four Problems Christopher Austin Indiana University cjaustin@indiana.edu Abstract There are many things that the bundle theory of objects is thought to accomplish—an explication of the more exact “composition” or make-up of existent substances, the truth-making scheme for propositions and perhaps even an ontological foundation for property theory. The aim of this paper is to carefully examine certain issues which follow from the independence of properties and the nature of compresence to see whether or not these two axioms can be held simultaneously. For if properties are independent entities, compresence is required. Likewise, if compresence is a fact about the metaphysical make-up of entities, the primacy of properties must be maintained. This paper will examine four distinct potential problems for the bundle theory of substance by focusing on the compresence relation— these are what I will term the founding problem, the de re problem, the character problem and the agential aspect problem. After laying out each problem, this paper will offer some putative defenses from the bundle the- ory and lend rejoinders to them. This paper will conclude that no version of the bundle theory so far advanced is able to successfully answer all four of these objections and that therefore either the theory must be conceptually expanded and revised or rejected. Keywords: Substance, Properties, Bundle theory, Compresence relation Introduction There are many things that the bundle theory of objects is thought to accom- plish: an explication of the more exact “composition” or make-up of existent Submitted: 05.17.2008; Revised: 08.24.2008; Published: 08.28.2008 Article c  2008 Christopher Austin Stable URL: http://www.personal.ceu.hu/percipi/archive/200802/05_ca.pdf