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Single Idea 12529

[filed under theme 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / e. Individuation by kind ]

Full Idea

I call a name 'sortal' from 'sort', as I do 'general' from 'genus'.

Gist of Idea

I speak of a 'sortal' name, from the word 'sort'

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 3.03.15)

Book Ref

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.417

The 227 ideas from 'Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed)'

9438 Maybe analysis seeks the 'nominal essence', and metaphysics seeks the 'real essence' [Locke, by Mumford]
8084 Syllogisms are verbal fencing, not discovery [Locke]
15983 Locke explains powers, but effectively eliminates them with his talk of internal structure [Locke, by Alexander,P]
6487 Locke, Berkeley and Hume did no serious thinking about universals [Robinson,H on Locke]
12810 We can conceive an individual without assigning it to a kind [Locke, by Jolley]
16787 Explanatory essence won't do, because it won't distinguish the accidental from the essential [Locke, by Pasnau]
16028 Lockean real essence makes a thing what it is, and produces its observable qualities [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
16031 Real essence explains observable qualities, but not what kind of thing it is [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
15646 If essence is 'nominal', artificial gold (with its surface features) would qualify as 'gold' [Locke, by Eagle]
12306 'Nominal essence' is everything contained in the idea of a particular sort of thing [Locke, by Copi]
12804 There are no independent natural kinds - or our classifications have to be subjective [Locke, by Jolley]
6488 Locke has no patience with scepticism [Locke, by Robinson,H]
15989 Colours, smells and tastes are ideas; the secondary qualities have no colour, smell or taste [Locke, by Alexander,P]
6725 Locke believes matter is an inert, senseless substance, with extension, figure and motion [Locke, by Berkeley]
15982 Qualities are named as primary if they are needed for scientific explanation [Locke, by Alexander,P]
15973 In my view Locke's 'textures' are groups of corpuscles which are powers (rather than 'having' powers) [Locke, by Alexander,P]
2793 It is unclear how identity, equality, perfection, God, power and cause derive from experience [Locke, by Dancy,J]
16037 Locke seems to use real essence for scientific explanation, and substratum for the being of a thing [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
2555 For Locke knowledge relates to objects, not to propositions [Locke, by Rorty]
7721 Locke's view that thoughts are made of ideas asserts the crucial role of imagination [Locke]
5512 Locke uses 'self' for a momentary entity, and 'person' for an extended one [Locke, by Martin/Barresi]
5175 Personal identity is my perceptions, but not my memory, as I forget too much [Ayer on Locke]
5511 For Locke, conscious awareness unifies a person at an instant and over time [Locke, by Martin/Barresi]
6139 Locke implies that each thought has two thinkers - me, and 'my' substance [Merricks on Locke]
5513 Two persons might have qualitatively identical consciousnesses, so that isn't enough [Kant on Locke]
1345 Locke's move from substance to consciousness is a slippery slope [Butler on Locke]
6712 For Locke, abstract ideas are our main superiority of understanding over animals [Locke, by Berkeley]
5827 A species of thing is an abstract idea, and a word is a sign that refers to the idea [Locke]
15966 Boyle and Locke believed corpuscular structures necessitate their powers of interaction [Locke, by Alexander,P]
15986 Boyle and Locke suspect forces of being occult [Locke, by Alexander,P]
7653 I am just an under-labourer, clearing the ground in preparation for knowledge [Locke]
7570 Innate ideas are trivial (if they are just potentials) or absurd (if they claim infants know a lot) [Locke, by Jolley]
6486 Ideas are the objects of understanding when we think [Locke]
15967 The word 'idea' covers thinking best, for imaginings, concepts, and basic experiences [Locke]
12471 Innate ideas are nothing, if they are in the mind but we are unaware of them [Locke]
12472 If the only test of innateness is knowing, then all of our knowledge is innate [Locke]
7709 A proposition can't be in the mind if we aren't conscious of it [Locke]
2603 If we aren't aware that an idea is innate, the concept of innate is meaningless; if we do, all ideas seem innate [Locke]
7723 The senses first let in particular ideas, which furnish the empty cabinet [Locke]
12473 We can demand a reason for any moral rule [Locke]
4130 There couldn't be a moral rule of which a man could not justly demand a reason [Locke]
4018 Innate ideas were followed up with innate doctrines, which stopped reasoning and made social control possible [Locke]
10326 Other men's opinions don't add to our knowledge - even when they are true [Locke]
7724 All the ideas written on the white paper of the mind can only come from one place - experience [Locke]
7507 The mind is white paper, with no writing, or ideas [Locke]
12474 The mind is a blank page, on which only experience can write [Locke]
12475 All our ideas derive either from sensation, or from inner reflection [Locke]
5002 Consciousness is the perception of what passes in a man's own mind [Locke]
16685 An insurmountable force in a body keeps our hands apart when we handle it [Locke]
12476 Every external object or internal idea suggests to us the idea of unity [Locke]
12477 We get the idea of power from our own actions, and the interaction of external bodies [Locke]
12478 A 'quality' is a power to produce an idea in our minds [Locke]
12479 Primary qualities produce simple ideas, such as solidity, extension, motion and number [Locke]
15971 Secondary qualities are powers of complex primary qualities to produce sensations in us [Locke]
16032 To explain qualities, Locke invokes primary and secondary qualities, not real essences [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
12480 Ideas of primary qualities resemble their objects, but those of secondary qualities don't [Locke]
7049 In Locke, the primary qualities are also powers [Locke, by Heil]
7050 I suspect that Locke did not actually believe colours are 'in the mind' [Locke, by Heil]
12481 Hands can report conflicting temperatures, but not conflicting shapes [Locke]
12482 Molyneux's Question: could a blind man distinguish cube from sphere, if he regained his sight? [Locke]
9083 The mind creates abstractions by generalising about appearances of objects, ignoring time or place [Locke]
12483 Unlike humans, animals cannot entertain general ideas [Locke]
15980 We can locate the parts of the universe, but not the whole thing [Locke]
12484 Motion is just change of distance between two things [Locke]
12485 We don't know what substance is, and only vaguely know what it does [Locke]
12486 An 'instant' is where we perceive no succession, and is the time of a single idea [Locke]
12487 We can never show that two successive periods of time were equal [Locke]
7782 Every simple idea we ever have brings the idea of unity along with it [Locke]
12488 The idea of 'one' is the simplest, most obvious and most widespread idea [Locke]
12489 If there were real infinities, you could add two together, which is ridiculous [Locke]
4019 Things are good and evil only in reference to pleasure and pain [Locke]
12490 Power is active or passive, and has a relation to actions [Locke]
12491 Asking whether man's will is free is liking asking if sleep is fast or virtue is square [Locke]
12492 Liberty is a power of agents, so can't be an attribute of wills [Locke]
12493 A man is free insofar as he can act according to his own preferences [Locke]
12494 Men are not free to will, because they cannot help willing [Locke]
3792 We are free to decide not to follow our desires [Locke]
12495 Pursuit of happiness is the highest perfection of intellectual nature [Locke]
12496 Complex ideas are all resolvable into simple ideas [Locke]
12497 Causes are the substances which have the powers to produce action [Locke]
7713 We identify substances by supposing that groups of sensations arise from an essence [Locke]
12498 Particular substances are coexisting ideas that seem to flow from a hidden essence [Locke]
7945 We think of substance as experienced qualities plus a presumed substratum of support [Locke]
8546 Powers are part of our idea of substances [Locke]
15979 Secondary qualities are simply the bare powers of an object [Locke]
16038 Locke may distinguish real essence from internal constitution, claiming the latter is knowable [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
12499 Bodies distinctively have cohesion of parts, and power to communicate motion [Locke]
16637 The absolute boundaries of our thought are the ideas we get from senses and the mind [Locke]
12500 Thinking without matter and matter that thinks are equally baffling [Locke]
12503 Identity means that the idea of a thing remains the same over time [Locke]
12501 The mind can make a unity out of anything, no matter how diverse [Locke]
12502 Comparisons boil down to simple elements of sensation or reflection [Locke]
16796 Locke may accept coinciding material substances, such as body, man and person [Locke, by Pasnau]
1211 Viewing an object at an instant, we perceive identity when we see it must be that thing and not another [Locke]
12505 One thing cannot have two beginnings of existence, nor two things one beginning [Locke]
12504 Two things can't occupy one place and time, which leads us to the idea of self-identity [Locke]
1196 We can conceive of three sorts of substance: God, finite intelligence, and bodies [Locke]
1197 No two thoughts at different times can be the same, as they have different beginnings [Locke]
12507 A mass consists of its atoms, so the addition or removal of one changes its identity [Locke]
12508 Living things retain identity through change, by a principle of organisation [Locke]
12506 A thing is individuated just by existing at a time and place [Locke]
12509 If the soul individuates a man, and souls are transferable, then a hog could be a man [Locke]
12510 Not all identity is unity of substance [Locke]
16795 Same person, man or substance are different identities, belonging to different ideas [Locke]
16797 Maybe Locke described the real essence of a person [Locke, by Pasnau]
1202 A person is intelligent, rational, self-aware, continuous, conscious [Locke]
1372 Our personal identity must depend on something we are aware of, namely consciousness [Locke]
1363 Locke's theory confusingly tries to unite consciousness and memory [Reid on Locke]
1368 Locke mistakes similarity of a memory to its original event for identity [Reid on Locke]
1373 Identity over time involves remembering actions just as they happened [Locke]
1364 Locke confuses the test for personal identity with the thing itself [Reid on Locke]
12511 If consciousness is interrupted, and we forget our past selves, are we still the same thinking thing? [Locke]
1361 If identity is consciousness, could a person move between bodies or fragment into parts? [Reid on Locke]
1376 Identity must be in consciousness not substance, because it seems transferable [Locke]
12512 If someone becomes conscious of Nestor's actions, then he is Nestor [Locke]
21326 Locke's memory theory of identity confuses personal identity with the test for it [Reid on Locke]
12513 If a prince's soul entered a cobbler's body, the person would be the prince (and the man the cobbler) [Locke]
1378 My little finger is part of me if I am conscious of it [Locke]
1380 Should we punish people who commit crimes in their sleep? [Locke]
1381 Someone mad then sane is two persons, judging by our laws and punishments [Locke]
12514 On Judgement Day, no one will be punished for actions they cannot remember [Locke]
1397 Locke sees underlying substance as irrelevant to personal identity [Locke, by Noonan]
1387 Butler thought Locke's theory was doomed once he rejected mental substance [Perry on Locke]
1385 'Person' is a term used about responsibility, involving law, and happiness and misery [Locke]
1386 A concern for happiness is the inevitable result of consciousness [Locke]
12515 Actions are virtuous if they are judged praiseworthy [Locke]
12516 Obscure simple ideas result from poor senses, brief impressions, or poor memory [Locke]
12517 Ideas are uncertain when they are unnamed, because too close to other ideas [Locke]
12518 The mind cannot produce simple ideas [Locke]
12519 Gold is supposed to have a real essence, from whence its detectable properties flow [Locke]
12520 The best I can make of real essence is figure, size and connection of solid parts [Locke]
12521 We can only know a thing's powers when we have combined it with many things [Locke]
15988 The observable qualities are never the real essence, since they depend on real essence [Locke]
12522 It is propositions which are true or false, though it is sometimes said of ideas [Locke]
12523 If they refer to real substances, 'man' is a true idea and 'centaur' a false one [Locke]
12524 For the correct reference of complex ideas, we can only refer to experts [Locke]
2421 There is nothing illogical about inverted qualia [Locke]
3522 The same object might produce violet in one mind and marigold in another [Locke]
12525 The essence of a triangle is simple; presumably substance essences are similar [Locke]
12526 Opposition to reason is mad [Locke]
12527 Some ideas connect together naturally, while others connect by chance or custom [Locke]
12528 If a man sees a friend die in a room, he associates the pain with the room [Locke]
7716 Words were devised as signs for inner ideas, and their basic meaning is those ideas [Locke]
7308 Words stand for the ideas in the mind of him that uses them [Locke]
12305 Locke's essences determine the other properties, so the two will change together [Locke, by Copi]
7717 All things that exist are particulars [Locke]
7040 General words represent general ideas, which are abstractions from immediate circumstances [Locke]
8910 General and universal are not real entities, but useful inventions of the mind, concerning words or ideas [Locke]
15644 In nominal essence, Locke confuses the set of properties with the abstracted idea of them [Eagle on Locke]
11155 Essence is the very being of any thing, whereby it is what it is [Locke]
12529 I speak of a 'sortal' name, from the word 'sort' [Locke]
15985 It is impossible for two things with the same real essence to differ in properties [Locke]
12530 The less rational view of essences is that they are moulds for kinds of natural thing [Locke]
13431 A space between three lines is both the nominal and real essence of a triangle, the source of its properties [Locke]
16029 Locke's real and nominal essence refers back to Aristotle's real and nominal definitions [Locke, by Jones,J-E]
12531 Nominal Essence is the abstract idea to which a name is attached [Locke]
13771 Real essence is the constitution of the unknown parts of a body which produce its qualities [Locke]
13434 In our ideas, the idea of essence is inseparable from the concept of a species [Locke]
13433 Essences relate to sorting words; if you replace those with names, essences vanish [Locke]
12809 Nothing about me is essential [Locke]
16786 You can't distinguish individuals without the species as a standard [Locke]
12532 Even real essence depends on a sort, since it is sorts which have the properties [Locke]
12533 Real essences are unknown, so only the nominal essence connects things to a species [Locke]
16035 If we based species on real essences, the individuals would be as indistinguishable as two circles [Locke]
15976 What is the texture - the real essence - which makes substances behave in distinct ways? [Locke]
13435 We can't categorise things by their real essences, because these are unknown [Locke]
15170 We distinguish species by their nominal essence, not by their real essence [Locke]
13436 There are no gaps in the continuum of nature, and everything has something closely resembling it [Locke]
12534 We cannot know what properties are necessary to gold, unless we first know its real essence [Locke]
12535 If we discovered real essences, we would still categorise things by the external appearance [Locke]
12536 We sort and name substances by nominal and not by real essence [Locke]
12537 To be a nominal essence, a complex idea must exhibit unity [Locke]
12539 If every sort has its real essence, one horse, being many sorts, will have many essences [Locke]
12538 Genus is a partial conception of species, and species a partial idea of individuals [Locke]
16036 Internal constitution doesn't decide a species; should a watch contain four wheels or five? [Locke]
12540 Artificial things like watches and pistols have distinct kinds [Locke]
15974 The essence of whiteness in a man is nothing but the power to produce the idea of whiteness [Locke]
13423 The schools recognised that they don't really know essences, because they couldn't coin names for them [Locke]
15991 Since words are just conventional, we can represent our own ideas with any words we please [Locke]
15978 I take 'matter' to be a body, excluding its extension in space and its shape [Locke]
15992 Many individuals grouped under one name vary more than some things that have different names [Locke]
12541 Morality can be demonstrated, because we know the real essences behind moral words [Locke]
12542 Knowledge is just the connection or disagreement of our ideas [Locke]
12543 Intuition gives us direct and certain knowledge of what is obvious [Locke]
15995 The greatest certainty is knowing our own ideas, and that two ideas are different [Locke]
12544 Our knowledge falls short of the extent of our own ideas [Locke]
12545 Other spirits may exceed us in knowledge, by knowing the inward constitution of things [Locke]
7840 For all we know, an omnipotent being might have enabled material beings to think [Locke]
12546 We can't know how primary and secondary qualities connect together [Locke]
15996 We can't begin to conceive what would produce some particular experience within our minds [Locke]
12547 We know five properties of gold, but cannot use four of them to predict the fifth one [Locke]
15950 We will only understand substance when we know the necessary connections between powers and qualities [Locke]
15984 The corpuscular hypothesis is the best explanation of the necessary connection and co-existence of powers [Locke]
12548 It is certain that injustice requires property, since it is a violation of the right to property [Locke]
12549 Nothing is so beautiful to the eye as truth is to the mind [Locke]
12550 If we knew the minute mechanics of hemlock, we could predict that it kills men [Locke]
12551 We are satisfied that other men have minds, from their words and actions [Locke]
15997 We are so far from understanding the workings of natural bodies that it is pointless to even try [Locke]
12552 Thoughts moving bodies, and bodies producing thoughts, are equally unknowable [Locke]
15993 If we observe total regularity, there must be some unknown law and relationships controlling it [Locke]
12553 Some of our ideas contain relations which we cannot conceive to be absent [Locke]
12554 Existences can only be known by experience [Locke]
17735 Simple ideas are produced in us by external things, and they match their appearances [Locke]
12555 The constant link between whiteness and things that produce it is the basis of our knowledge [Locke]
10055 Mathematical proofs work, irrespective of whether the objects exist [Locke]
12556 Mathematics is just about ideas, so whether circles exist is irrelevant [Locke]
12557 Our ideas of substance are based on mental archetypes, but these come from the world [Locke]
12558 Truth only belongs to mental or verbal propositions [Locke]
12559 Complex ideas are collections of qualities we attach to an unknown substratum [Locke]
12560 We can only slightly know necessary co-existence of qualities, if they are primary [Locke]
12561 For 'all gold is malleable' to be necessary, it must be part of gold's nominal essence [Locke]
12562 General certainty is only found in ideas [Locke]
12563 Obviously two bodies cannot be in the same place [Locke]
12564 I am as certain of the thing doubting, as I am of the doubt [Locke]
12565 God has given us no innate idea of himself [Locke]
12566 We exist, so there is Being, which requires eternal being [Locke]
12567 It is inconceivable that unthinking matter could produce intelligence [Locke]
12569 Knowledge by senses is less certain than that by intuition or reason, but it is still knowledge [Locke]
12568 God assures me of the existence of external things [Locke]
12570 The finite and dependent should obey the supreme and infinite [Locke]
15977 Facts beyond immediate experience are assessed by agreement with known truths and observations [Locke]
12571 If miracles aim at producing belief, it is plausible that their events are very unusual [Locke]
12572 Many people can reason well, yet can't make a syllogism [Locke]
12573 Ad Hominem: press a man with the consequences of his own principle [Locke]
19517 Believing without a reason may just be love of your own fantasies [Locke]
12574 When two ideas agree in my mind, I cannot refuse to see and know it [Locke]
7718 Universals do not exist, but are useful inventions of the mind, involving words or ideas [Locke]