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Single Idea 15035

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 5. Universals as Concepts ]

Full Idea

Boethius argued that universals can be successfully isolated by abstraction, even if they do not exist as separate entities in the world.

Gist of Idea

If universals are not separate, we can isolate them by abstraction

Source

report of Boethius (Second Commentary on 'Isagoge' [c.517]) by Claude Panaccio - Medieval Problem of Universals 'Sources'

Book Ref

'Routledge Companion to Metaphysics', ed/tr. Le Poidevin/Simons etc [Routledge 2012], p.49

A Reaction

Personally I rather like this unfashionable view. I can't think of any other plausible explanation, unless it is a less conscious psychological process of labelling. Boethius's idea led to medieval 'immanent realism'.

The 24 ideas from Boethius

15035 If universals are not separate, we can isolate them by abstraction [Boethius, by Panaccio]
23308 Reasoning relates to understanding as time does to eternity [Boethius, by Sorabji]
5752 Where does evil come from if there is a god; where does good come from if there isn't? [Boethius]
5753 The regular events of this life could never be due to chance [Boethius]
5754 You can't control someone's free mind, only their body and possessions [Boethius]
5756 Happiness is a good which once obtained leaves nothing more to be desired [Boethius]
5757 God is the supreme good, so no source of goodness could take precedence over God [Boethius]
5758 God is the good [Boethius]
5759 Varied aims cannot be good because they differ, but only become good when they unify [Boethius]
5760 The power through which creation remains in existence and motion I call 'God' [Boethius]
5761 God can do anything, but he cannot do evil, so evil must be nothing [Boethius]
5763 The bad seek the good through desire, but the good through virtue, which is more natural [Boethius]
5762 The wicked want goodness, so they would not be wicked if they obtained it [Boethius]
5764 When people fall into wickedness they lose their human nature [Boethius]
5765 The reward of the good is to become gods [Boethius]
5766 If you could see the plan of Providence, you would not think there was evil anywhere [Boethius]
16692 Divine eternity is the all-at-once and complete possession of unending life [Boethius]
5767 Rational natures require free will, in order to have power of judgement [Boethius]
5768 God's universal foreknowledge seems opposed to free will [Boethius]
5769 Does foreknowledge cause necessity, or necessity cause foreknowledge? [Boethius]
5770 Rewards and punishments are not deserved if they don't arise from free movement of the mind [Boethius]
5771 Knowledge of present events doesn't make them necessary, so future events are no different [Boethius]
14665 We can call the quality of Plato 'Platonity', and say it is a quality which only he possesses [Boethius]
16661 There are two sorts of category - referring to things, and to circumstances of things [Boethius]