Single Idea 13119

[catalogued under 7. Existence / E. Categories / 5. Category Anti-Realism]

Full Idea

My conclusion is that categories are relativistic, used for systematization, and that it is not an intrinsic feature of an object to belong to a category, and that there is no fundamental distinction between individuals and properties.

Gist of Idea

Categories merely systematise, and are not intrinsic to objects

Source

Jan Westerhoff (Ontological Categories [2005], Intro)

Book Reference

Westerhoff,Jan: 'Ontological Categories' [OUP 2005], p.9


A Reaction

[compressed] He calls his second conclusion 'anti-essentialist', but I think we can still get an account of (explanatory) essence while agreeing with his relativised view of categories. Wiggins might be his main opponent.