more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Artificial things are of distinct species, as well as natural. ..For why should we not think a watch and a pistol as distinct species one from another, as a horse and a dog?
Gist of Idea
Artificial things like watches and pistols have distinct kinds
Source
John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 3.06.41)
Book Ref
Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.465
A Reaction
This is the beginning of a topic which has caused a lot of modern debate in trying to assess essentialist claims.
| 16508 | Things are more unified if the unity comes from their own nature, not from external force [Aristotle] |
| 16117 | The hallmark of an artefact is that its active source of maintenance is external [Aristotle, by Gill,ML] |
| 12540 | Artificial things like watches and pistols have distinct kinds [Locke] |
| 12177 | Human artefacts may have essences, in their purposes [Popper] |
| 16514 | Artefacts are individuated by some matter having a certain function [Wiggins] |
| 17575 | The persistence of artifacts always covertly involves intelligent beings [Inwagen] |
| 13809 | One might be essentialist about the original bronze from which a statue was made [Forbes,G] |
| 12022 | Same parts does not ensure same artefact, if those parts could constitute a different artefact [Forbes,G] |
| 12025 | Artefacts have fuzzy essences [Forbes,G] |
| 14295 | Many artefacts have dispositional essences, which make them what they are [Mumford] |
| 12873 | Original parts are the best candidates for being essential to artefacts [Simons] |