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Single Idea 12990

[filed under theme 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / a. Nature of abstracta ]

Full Idea

Real (as opposed to logical) abstract terms, or at least those which are conceived as real, are either essences or parts of essences, or else accidents (i.e. beings added to a substance).

Gist of Idea

Real (non-logical) abstract terms are either essences or accidents

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (New Essays on Human Understanding [1704], 3.08)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'New Essays on Human Understanding', ed/tr. Remnant/Bennett [CUP 1996], p.333


A Reaction

Interesting to refer to accidents as 'beings'. This seems to fit abstraction by ignoring, since you can either ignore the accidents to get the essence, or ignore the essence to get the accidents.