Single Idea 19760

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 5. Generalisation by mind]

Full Idea

Every general idea is purely intellectual. The least involvement of the imagination thereupon makes the idea particular.

Gist of Idea

General ideas are purely intellectual; imagining them is immediately particular

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality [1754], Part I)

Book Reference

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.50


A Reaction

This thought is in Berkeley, who seemed to think that general ideas were impossible, because imagination was always required. Rousseau is certainly an improvement on that.

Related Ideas

Idea 6714 Universals do not have any intrinsic properties, but only relations to particulars [Berkeley]

Idea 6719 No one will think of abstractions if they only have particular ideas [Berkeley]