Single Idea 8916

[catalogued under 18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 6. Abstracta by Conflation]

Full Idea

The Way of Conflation account of abstractions (identifying them sets or with universals) is now relatively rare. The claim sets or universals are the only abstract objects would amount to a substantive metaphysical thesis, in need of defence.

Gist of Idea

Conflating abstractions with either sets or universals is a big claim, needing a big defence

Source

Gideon Rosen (Abstract Objects [2001], 'Way of Con')

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.6


A Reaction

If you produce a concept like 'mammal' by psychological abstraction, you do seem to end up with a set of things with shared properties, so this approach is not silly. I can't think of any examples of abstractions which are not sets or universals.