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Single Idea 12067

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

Full Idea

An Aristotelian essence is a nonlinguistic correlate of the definition of the entity in question.

Gist of Idea

An Aristotelian essence is a nonlinguistic correlate of the definition

Source

Charlotte Witt (Substance and Essence in Aristotle [1989], Intro)

Book Ref

Witt,Charlotte: 'Substance and Essence in Aristotle' [Cornell 1994], p.2

A Reaction

This is a simple and necessity corrective to the simplistic idea that Aristotle thought that essences just were definitions. Aristotle believes in real essences, not linguistic essences.

The 6 ideas from Charlotte Witt

12066 Aristotelian and Kripkean essentialism are very different theories [Witt]
12067 An Aristotelian essence is a nonlinguistic correlate of the definition [Witt]
12082 If unity is a matter of degree, then essence may also be a matter of degree [Witt]
12085 Reality is directional [Witt]
12089 Essences mainly explain the existence of unified substance [Witt]
12102 Essential properties of origin are too radically individual for an Aristotelian essence [Witt]