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Full Idea
Is there any way of separating the qualities that bodies appear to have into two groups, one as small as possible and the other as large as possible, such that the smaller group can plausibly be used to explain the larger?
Gist of Idea
Can the qualities of a body be split into two groups, where the smaller explains the larger?
Source
Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 5.02)
Book Ref
Alexander,Peter: 'Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles' [CUP 1985], p.123
A Reaction
Alexander implies that this is a question Locke asked himself. This is pretty close to what I take to be the main question for essentialism, though I am cautious about couching it in terms of groups of qualities. I think this was Aristotle's question.
| 15951 | Alchemists tried to separate out essences, which influenced later chemistry [Alexander,P] |
| 15959 | If the substantial form of brass implies its stability, how can it melt and remain brass? [Alexander,P] |
| 15963 | Science has been partly motivated by the belief that the universe is run by God's laws [Alexander,P] |
| 15975 | Can the qualities of a body be split into two groups, where the smaller explains the larger? [Alexander,P] |
| 15956 | The peripatetics treated forms and real qualities as independent of matter, and non-material [Alexander,P] |
| 15981 | Absolute space either provides locations, or exists but lacks 'marks' for locations [Alexander,P] |