Single Idea 7024

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 1. Nature of Properties]

Full Idea

Armstrong takes properties to be universals, and believes there are no 'uninstantiated' universals.

Clarification

Something is 'instantiated' if examples of it exist

Gist of Idea

Properties are universals, which are always instantiated

Source

report of David M. Armstrong (A Theory of Universals [1978]) by John Heil - From an Ontological Point of View §9.3

Book Reference

Heil,John: 'From an Ontological Point of View' [OUP 2005], p.91


A Reaction

At first glance this, like many theories of universals, seems to invite Ockham's Razor. If they are always instantiated, perhaps we should perhaps just try to talk about the instantiations (i.e. tropes), and skip the universal?