Single Idea 17385

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / B. Natural Kinds / 1. Natural Kinds]

Full Idea

A kind, being an abstract object, cannot do anything, including evolve.

Gist of Idea

Kinds don't do anything (including evolve) because they are abstract

Source

John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], 2)

Book Reference

Dupré,John: 'The Disorder of Things' [Harvard 1995], p.40


A Reaction

Maybe. We might have an extensional view of the kind, so that 'gold' is the set of extant gold atoms. But possible gold atoms are also gold, and defunct ones too. Virtually every word in English is abtract if you think about it long enough.