Single Idea 17872

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 4. Essence as Definition]

Full Idea

The definitionalist errs by abstracting away from differences cosmic processes, freezing real, dynamic processes in snapshot-concepts.

Gist of Idea

Definitionalists rely on snapshot-concepts, instead of on the real processes

Source

Joseph Almog (Nature Without Essence [2010], 08)

Book Reference

-: 'Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.372


A Reaction

You could hardly do science at all if you didn't 'abstract away from the differences in cosmic processes'. We can't write about sea-waves, because they all differ slightly? 'Electron' is a snapshot concept.