I’m disappointed that nobody has recognized the likely role of quiddity prices here.
Metaphysicists simply haven’t been nearly as successful as their more material counterparts in driving improvements in the speed and reductions in the cost of manufacturing goods and materials, so skimping on essential whatness and making up the difference in polymers or pot metal is an effective cost optimization strategy.
Low cost material causes keep low end goods from causing substantial confusion between something and nothing; but it’s simply harder to classify objects that may have as much as 75% less essence.
The ones that really freak out neural networks(and dogs) are the pieces stamped out in fly-by-night factories that use counterfeit formal and final causes; which can leave you with a completely inscrutable and purposeless lump of material cause within tens of hours of use since the counterfeits fail so quickly.
