back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 5015

[from 'Principles of Philosophy' by René Descartes, in 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 2. Resemblance Nominalism ]

Full Idea

Universals arise solely from the fact that we avail ourselves of one idea in order to think of all individual things that have a certain similitude. When we understand under the same name all the objects represented by this idea, that name is universal.

Gist of Idea

A universal is a single idea applied to individual things that are similar to one another

Source

René Descartes (Principles of Philosophy [1646], I.59)

Book Reference

Descartes,René: 'Philosophical Essays and Correspondence', ed/tr. Ariew,Roger [Hackett 2000], p.246


A Reaction

Judging by the boldness of the pronouncement, it looks as if Descartes hasn't recognised the complexity of the problem. How do we spot a 'similarity', especially an abstraction like 'tool' or 'useful'? This sounds like Descartes trying to avoid Platonism.