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Full Idea
So-called 'Aristotelian essentialism' is the doctrine of essences not relative to specifications.
Gist of Idea
Aristotelian essentialism says essences are not relative to specification
Source
David Lewis (Counterpart theory and Quant. Modal Logic [1968], III)
Book Ref
Lewis,David: 'Philosophical Papers Vol.1' [OUP 1983], p.32
A Reaction
In other words, they are so-called 'real essences', understood as de re. Quine says essences are all de dicto, and relative to some specification. I vote for Aristotle.
| 16994 | Counterpart theory is bizarre, as no one cares what happens to a mere counterpart [Kripke on Lewis] |
| 11974 | Counterparts are not the original thing, but resemble it more than other things do [Lewis] |
| 11975 | If the closest resembler to you is in fact quite unlike you, then you have no counterpart [Lewis] |
| 11977 | Essential attributes are those shared with all the counterparts [Lewis] |
| 11976 | Aristotelian essentialism says essences are not relative to specification [Lewis] |
| 11979 | It doesn't take the whole of a possible Humphrey to win the election [Lewis] |
| 11978 | Causal necessities hold in all worlds compatible with the laws of nature [Lewis] |