back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 15301

[from 'Causal Powers' by Harré,R./Madden,E.H., in 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 5. Generalisation by mind ]

Full Idea

The concepts of power, capacity and the nature of a particular involve generalisations and hence already presuppose that there are grounds for extrapolation.

Gist of Idea

The very concepts of a particular power or nature imply the possibility of being generalised

Source

Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 8.V)

Book Reference

Harré,R/Madden,E.H.: 'Causal Powers: A Theory of Natural Necessity' [Blackwell 1975], p.151


A Reaction

I take sortal essentialism to be a serious misundertanding, but the mistake needs to be explained, and this idea is helpful towards that. I think the problem resides in the nature of the language we need to describe particulars.