The Problem of the Wholly New

Ever heard the saying “there’s nothing new under the sun”? Well, what if there was?

Imagine we come across an object that is, in the most literal sense, a novelty? This object does not possess any property that we are familiar with. Rather the object possesses the following properties: it is schlep, schloop, and schlorp. 

I know what you’re thinking, “that doesn’t make any sense!” 

Exactly. 

Such an object would be wholly other and would have no basis in our experience. We cannot wrap our head aroun...