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9104 | A universal is the result of abstraction, which is only a kind of mental picturing [William of Ockham] |
Full Idea: A universal is not the result of generation, but of abstraction, which is only a kind of mental picturing. | |
From: William of Ockham (Ordinatio [1320], DII Qviii prima redactio) | |
A reaction: The phrase 'mental picturing' works very plausibly for the universal 'giraffe', but not so well for 'multiplication' or 'contradiction'. Though we might broaden 'picturing' to being a much less visual concept. Mapping seems basic. |