Single Idea 17390

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 8. Essence as Explanatory]

Full Idea

The importance of natural kinds for explanation does not depend on a doctrine of essences.

Gist of Idea

Natural kinds don't need essentialism to be explanatory

Source

John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], 3)

Book Reference

Dupré,John: 'The Disorder of Things' [Harvard 1995], p.67


A Reaction

He suggest as the alternative that laws do the explaining, employing natural kinds. He allows that individual essences might be explanatory.