Single Idea 16976

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / a. Scientific essentialism]

Full Idea

The conception of essence taken for granted in much of the 'scientific essentialist' literature is that essence can be explained in terms of modality (rather than the other way round).

Gist of Idea

Scientific essentialists tend to characterise essence in terms of modality (not vice versa)

Source

Tuomas E. Tahko (The Epistemology of Essence (draft) [2013], 2.1)


A Reaction

[He cites Ellis and Bird] That is, presumably, that they are inclined to say that the essence of gold is a set of necessary properties. Maybe conceptual necessities dictate the properties of gold, and they in turn dictate metaphysical necessities?

Related Idea

Idea 16977 If essence is modal and laws are necessary, essentialist knowledge is found by scientists [Tahko]