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Full Idea
The central function of essence is to explain the actual existence of a unified substance.
Gist of Idea
Essences mainly explain the existence of unified substance
Source
Charlotte Witt (Substance and Essence in Aristotle [1989], 5 n1)
Book Ref
Witt,Charlotte: 'Substance and Essence in Aristotle' [Cornell 1994], p.144
A Reaction
She is offering an interpretation of Aristotle. Since existence is an active and not a passive matter, the identity of the entity will include its dispositions etc., I presume.
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] |