Full Idea
The necessity to water of whatever is found out to be the water's microstructure is given by convention, and is not something which is discovered.
Gist of Idea
That the essence of water is its microstructure is a convention, not a discovery
Source
Alan Sidelle (Necessity, Essence and Individuation [1989], Ch.2)
Book Reference
Sidelle,Alan: 'Necessity, Essence and Individuation' [Cornell 1989], p.37
A Reaction
A powerful point. It shows the authority of science that we accept the microstructure as the essence. The essences of statues and people are definitely not their microstructures. One H2O molecule isn't water. Why not? Macro-properties count too!