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Single Idea 13579

[from 'Scientific Essentialism' by Brian Ellis, in 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / a. Scientific essentialism ]

Full Idea

What is most distinctive of the scientific version of essentialism is that scientific essentialists are realists about natural kinds of processes, as well as natural kinds of objects and substances.

Gist of Idea

What is most distinctive of scientific essentialism is regarding processes as natural kinds

Source

Brian Ellis (Scientific Essentialism [2001], 1.11)

Book Reference

Ellis,Brian: 'Scientific Essentialism' [CUP 2007], p.50


A Reaction

I'm not sure whether other scientific essentialists would agree with this, but I am happy to go along with it. A process like melting or sublimation seems to be a standard widespread phenomenon which is always intrinsically the same, as kinds must be.