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Full Idea
A universal is not the result of generation, but of abstraction, which is only a kind of mental picturing.
Gist of Idea
A universal is the result of abstraction, which is only a kind of mental picturing
Source
William of Ockham (Ordinatio [1320], DII Qviii prima redactio)
Book Ref
Ockham,William of: 'Ockham's Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. Boehner,P [Hackett 1990], p.41
A Reaction
The phrase 'mental picturing' works very plausibly for the universal 'giraffe', but not so well for 'multiplication' or 'contradiction'. Though we might broaden 'picturing' to being a much less visual concept. Mapping seems basic.