Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Anaxarchus, David Hume and Henry More

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2 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 2. Resemblance Nominalism
Momentary impressions are wrongly identified with one another on the basis of resemblance [Hume, by Quine]
     Full Idea: Momentary impressions, according to Hume, are wrongly identified with one another on the basis of resemblance.
     From: report of David Hume (Treatise of Human Nature [1739]) by Willard Quine - Identity, Ostension, and Hypostasis 3
     A reaction: I don't have a Hume quotation for this yet, but Quine is plausibly claiming Hume as a resemblance nominalist, equipped with an error theory about universals.
If we see a resemblance among objects, we apply the same name to them, despite their differences [Hume]
     Full Idea: When we have found a resemblance among several objects, that often occur to us, we apply the same name to all of them, whatever differences we may observe in the degrees of their quantity and quality, and whatever other differences may appear among them.
     From: David Hume (Treatise of Human Nature [1739], I.I.7)
     A reaction: This must to some extent by right, whatever objections can be found. Russell's objection (Idea 4441) wouldn't alter the truth of Hume's observation, thought Hume is attacking universals and Russell defending them.