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Single Idea 17862
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / e. Anti scientific essentialism
]
Full Idea
Essence engenders a mere illusion of understanding
Gist of Idea
Essence gives an illusion of understanding
Source
report of Willard Quine (works [1961]) by Joseph Almog - Nature Without Essence Intro
Book Ref
-: 'Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.360
A Reaction
[Almog quotes Quine, but doesn't give a reference] This is roughly the same as Popper's criticism of essentialism.
The
17 ideas
with the same theme
[objections to essences in scientific investigation]:
13296
|
The cosmos has two elements - passive matter, and active cause (or reason) which shapes it
[Stoic school, by Seneca]
|
13150
|
The motions of the planets could only derive from an intelligent agent
[Newton]
|
12178
|
That gravity should be innate and essential to matter is absurd
[Newton]
|
6734
|
If properties and qualities arise from an inward essence, we will remain ignorant of nature
[Berkeley]
|
12110
|
We can never know origins, purposes or inner natures
[Comte]
|
10246
|
The limit of science is isomorphism of theories, with essences a matter of indifference
[Weyl]
|
10931
|
We can't say 'necessarily if x is in water then x dissolves' if we can't quantify modally
[Quine]
|
17862
|
Essence gives an illusion of understanding
[Quine, by Almog]
|
12179
|
Essentialist views of science prevent further questions from being raised
[Popper]
|
5492
|
How can essences generate the right powers to vary with distance between objects?
[Armstrong]
|
16547
|
H2O isn't necessary, because different laws of nature might affect how O and H combine
[Lowe]
|
12243
|
The reductionism found in scientific essentialism is mistaken
[Oderberg]
|
4799
|
Dispositional essentialism can't explain its key distinction between essential and non-essential properties
[Psillos]
|
15178
|
Can anything in science reveal the necessity of what it discovers?
[Sidelle]
|
15706
|
A major objection to real essences is the essentialising of social categories like race, caste and occupation
[Gelman]
|
17864
|
Defining an essence comes no where near giving a thing's nature
[Almog]
|
17863
|
Essences promise to reveal reality, but actually drive us away from it
[Almog]
|