more from Scott Soames

Single Idea 13969

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 7. Essence and Necessity / a. Essence as necessary properties]

Full Idea

By (Kripkean) 'essential' properties and relations I mean simply properties and relations that hold necessarily of objects (in all genuinely possible world-states in which the objects exist).

Gist of Idea

Kripkean essential properties and relations are necessary, in all genuinely possible worlds

Source

Scott Soames (Significance of the Kripkean Nec A Posteriori [2006], p.168 n5)

Book Reference

Soames,Scott: 'Philosophical Essays 2:Significance of Language' [Princeton 2009], p.168


A Reaction

This is the standard modern view of essences which I find so unsatisfactory. Kit Fine has helped to take us back to the proper Aristotelian view, where 'necessary' and 'essential' actually have different meanings. Note the inclusion of relations.