Single Idea 11878

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 9. Essence and Properties]

Full Idea

The view standardly attributed to Leibniz, that makes all an individual's properties essential to it should be regarded as an extreme version of essentialism, not a denial of essentialism.

Gist of Idea

Leibniz's view (that all properties are essential) is extreme essentialism, not its denial

Source

report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Penelope Mackie - How Things Might Have Been 1.1

Book Reference

Mackie,Penelope: 'How Things Might Have Been' [OUP 2006], p.1


A Reaction

Wiggins disagrees, saying that Leibniz was not an essentialist, which is an interesting topic of research for those who are interested. I would take Leibniz to be not an essentialist, on that basis, as essentialism makes a distinction. See Quine on that.

Related Idea

Idea 11862 Leibniz was not an essentialist [Leibniz, by Wiggins]