more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 12049
[filed under theme 14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / k. Explanations by essence
]
Full Idea
Answering 'what is it?' with the secondary substance identifies an object with a class of continuants which survive certain changes, come into being in certain ways, are qualified in certain ways, behave in certain ways, and cease to be in certain ways.
Gist of Idea
Naming the secondary substance provides a mass of general information
Source
David Wiggins (Substance [1995], 4.3.3)
Book Ref
'Philosophy: a Guide Through the Subject', ed/tr. Grayling,A.C. [OUP 1995], p.218
A Reaction
Thus the priority of this sort of answer is that a huge range of explanations immediately flow from it. I take the explanation to be prior, and the primary substance to be prior, since secondary substance is inductively derived from it.
The
35 ideas
with the same theme
[explaining by showing hidden natures in things]:
|
16646
|
To understand a triangle summing to two right angles, we need to know the essence of a line
[Aristotle]
|
|
15119
|
Aristotelian explanation by essence may need to draw on knowledge of other essences
[Aristotle, by Koslicki]
|
|
11384
|
We know something when we fully know what it is, not just its quality, quantity or location
[Aristotle]
|
|
16105
|
We know a thing when we grasp its essence
[Aristotle]
|
|
16135
|
Real enquiries seek causes, and causes are essences
[Aristotle]
|
|
11296
|
The explanation is what gives matter its state, which is the form, which is the substance
[Aristotle]
|
|
11999
|
Essential properties explain in conjunction with properties shared by the same kind
[Aristotle, by Kung]
|
|
22524
|
The nature of each thing is its mature state
[Aristotle]
|
|
12000
|
Aristotle regularly says that essential properties explain other significant properties
[Aristotle, by Kung]
|
|
11198
|
Definition of essence makes things understandable
[Aquinas]
|
|
16784
|
Forms make things distinct and explain the properties, by pure form, or arrangement of parts
[Arnauld,A/Nicole,P]
|
|
13073
|
To understand the properties we must know the essence, as with a circle
[Spinoza]
|
|
17026
|
From the phenomena, I can't deduce the reason for the properties of gravity
[Newton]
|
|
16037
|
Locke seems to use real essence for scientific explanation, and substratum for the being of a thing
[Locke, by Jones,J-E]
|
|
16032
|
To explain qualities, Locke invokes primary and secondary qualities, not real essences
[Locke, by Jones,J-E]
|
|
12519
|
Gold is supposed to have a real essence, from whence its detectable properties flow
[Locke]
|
|
12977
|
We will only connect our various definitions of gold when we understand it more deeply
[Leibniz]
|
|
12729
|
The cause of a change is not the real influence, but whatever gives a reason for the change
[Leibniz]
|
|
13089
|
To fully conceive the subject is to explain the resulting predicates and events
[Leibniz]
|
|
13092
|
The essence of substance is the law of its changes, as in the series of numbers
[Leibniz]
|
|
13569
|
To give essentialist explanations there have to be natural kinds
[Ellis]
|
|
15975
|
Can the qualities of a body be split into two groups, where the smaller explains the larger?
[Alexander,P]
|
|
15219
|
Essence explains passive capacities as well as active powers
[Harré/Madden]
|
|
11995
|
Some peripheral properties are explained by essential ones, but don't themselves explain properties
[Kung]
|
|
11996
|
Some non-essential properties may explain more than essential-but-peripheral ones do
[Kung]
|
|
11848
|
Asking 'what is it?' nicely points us to the persistence of a continuing entity
[Wiggins]
|
|
12064
|
The category of substance is more important for epistemology than for ontology
[Wiggins]
|
|
12049
|
Naming the secondary substance provides a mass of general information
[Wiggins]
|
|
14322
|
If fragile just means 'breaks when dropped', it won't explain a breakage
[Mumford]
|
|
17481
|
Nuclear charge (plus laws) explains electron structure and spectrum, but not vice versa
[Hendry]
|
|
11905
|
Locke's kind essences are explanatory, without being necessary to the kind
[Mackie,P]
|
|
15114
|
Discovering the Aristotelian essence of thunder will tell us why thunder occurs
[Koslicki]
|
|
15710
|
Bohr explained the periodic table and chemical properties of elements, using the quantum atom
[Kumar]
|
|
16783
|
Essences must explain, so we can infer them causally from the accidents
[Pasnau]
|
|
16975
|
Essences are used to explain natural kinds, modality, and causal powers
[Tahko]
|