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Single Idea 9099
[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 5. Generalisation by mind
]
Full Idea
The generality attaching to a nature - its relatedness to many particular instances - results from abstraction, so in this sense a generalized nature presupposes its instances, and does not, as Plato thought, precede them.
Gist of Idea
Particular instances come first, and (pace Plato) generalisations are abstracted from them
Source
Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], Ch.5 Q85.2)
Book Ref
Aquinas,Thomas: 'Summa Theologicae (Concise)', ed/tr. McDermott,Timothy [Christian Classics 1991], p.136
A Reaction
This seems to be a quite explicit endorsement of abstractionism by Aquinas, despite all Geach's assertions to the contrary.
The
32 ideas
with the same theme
[uniting similarities in reality into single propositions]:
9088
|
Skill comes from a general assumption obtained from thinking about similar things
[Aristotle]
|
16153
|
Aristotle distinguishes two different sorts of generality - kinds, and properties
[Aristotle, by Frede,M]
|
9068
|
Perception creates primitive immediate principles by building a series of firm concepts
[Aristotle]
|
9069
|
A perception lodging in the soul creates a primitive universal, which becomes generalised
[Aristotle]
|
18911
|
Linguistic terms form a hierarchy, with higher terms predicable of increasing numbers of things
[Aristotle, by Engelbretsen]
|
9095
|
Very general ideas (being, oneness, potentiality) can be abstracted from thought matter in general
[Aquinas]
|
9093
|
We understand the general nature of things by ignoring individual peculiarities
[Aquinas]
|
9097
|
The mind abstracts generalities from images, but also uses images for understanding
[Aquinas]
|
9099
|
Particular instances come first, and (pace Plato) generalisations are abstracted from them
[Aquinas]
|
10508
|
Species are abstracted from appearances by ignoring individual conditions
[Aquinas]
|
12126
|
People love (unfortunately) extreme generality, rather than particular knowledge
[Bacon]
|
10501
|
A triangle diagram is about all triangles, if some features are ignored
[Arnauld,A/Nicole,P]
|
9083
|
The mind creates abstractions by generalising about appearances of objects, ignoring time or place
[Locke]
|
7040
|
General words represent general ideas, which are abstractions from immediate circumstances
[Locke]
|
12951
|
Abstraction attends to the general, not the particular, and involves universal truths
[Leibniz]
|
19760
|
General ideas are purely intellectual; imagining them is immediately particular
[Rousseau]
|
19759
|
Only words can introduce general ideas into the mind
[Rousseau]
|
19242
|
Generalization is the true end of life
[Peirce]
|
19255
|
Generalisation is the great law of mind
[Peirce]
|
18310
|
The 'highest' concepts are the most general and empty concepts
[Nietzsche]
|
21569
|
It is good to generalise truths as much as possible
[Russell]
|
24210
|
Abstraction is just the character of generalisation
[Weil]
|
10732
|
If concepts are just recognitional, then general judgements would be impossible
[Geach]
|
18375
|
General truths are a type of negative truth, saying there are no more ravens than black ones
[Armstrong]
|
19169
|
Predicates are a source of generality in sentences
[Davidson]
|
15301
|
The very concepts of a particular power or nature imply the possibility of being generalised
[Harré/Madden]
|
9330
|
Generalization seems to be more fundamental to minds than spotting similarities
[Lehrer]
|
18266
|
Mathematics generalises by using variables
[Coffa]
|
9152
|
If green is abstracted from a thing, it is only seen as a type if it is common to many things
[Fine,K]
|
18504
|
Only particulars exist, and generality is our mode of presentation
[Heil]
|
17696
|
'Humility is a virtue' has an abstract noun, but 'water is a liquid' has a generic concrete noun
[Laycock]
|
17937
|
Mathematical generalisation is by extending a system, or by abstracting away from it
[Colyvan]
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