{ 1 } - There is a shade of whiteness intermediate between this shade and that shade.
{ 2 } - This dog is white and that dog is white.
{ 3 } - Some dogs are white.
{ 4 } - all of the above.
{ 5 } - none of the above.

This commits us to an ontology that includes shades of whiteness -- which would be a property or characteristic.

We are so committed, at least until we devise some way to paraphrase the statement to show that the reference to shades of whiteness was an avoidable way of speaking.