Single Idea 21633

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / a. Nominalism]

Full Idea

The nominalist suspects that properties, relations and states of affairs are mere projections onto the world of our forms of speech. One source of the suspicion is a sense that we could just as well have classified things differently.

Gist of Idea

Nominalists suspect that properties etc are our projections, and could have been different

Source

Timothy Williamson (Vagueness [1994], 9.3)

Book Reference

Williamson,Timothy: 'Vagueness' [Routledge 1996], p.269


A Reaction

I know it is very wicked to say so, but I'm afraid I have some sympathy with this view. But I like the primary/secondary distinction, so there is more 'projection' in the latter case. Classification is not random; it is a response to reality.