Combining Texts

Ideas for 'The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics', 'Nominalism and Substitutional Quantifiers' and 'Essence and Accident'

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2 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / b. Dispositions and powers

12312	The real essence of a thing is its powers, or 'dispositional properties' [Copi]
	Full Idea: With respect to scientific usage, we can say that the real essence of a thing will consist very largely of powers or, in modern terms, dispositional properties.
	From: Irving M. Copi (Essence and Accident [1954], p.718)
	A reaction: Once again, Copi is a hero. I personally love the word 'powers' in metaphysics (and dislike the word 'properties', which is lost in a fog of confusion). See Molnar on 'powers' and Mumford on 'dispositions'.

8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 3. Predicate Nominalism

10789	Nominalists say predication is relations between individuals, or deny that it refers [Marcus (Barcan)]
	Full Idea: Nominalists have the major task of explaining how predicates work. They usually construct it as a relation between individuals, or deny the referential function of predicates.
	From: Ruth Barcan Marcus (Nominalism and Substitutional Quantifiers [1978], p.163)