Single Idea 16509

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 5. Essence as Kind]

Full Idea

Among the best candidates to play the roles of sortal and substantial predicates are the natural kind words.

Gist of Idea

Natural kinds are well suited to be the sortals which fix substances

Source

David Wiggins (Sameness and Substance [1980], 3.1)

Book Reference

Wiggins,David: 'Sameness and Substance' [Blackwell 1980], p.77


A Reaction

There is always a danger of circularity with this kind of approach. How do we distinguish the genuine natural kinds from the dubious ones?