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Ideas for 'The Search After Truth', 'The Nature and Communication of Substance' and 'Second Commentary on 'Isagoge''

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8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 5. Universals as Concepts
If universals are not separate, we can isolate them by abstraction [Boethius, by Panaccio]
     Full Idea: Boethius argued that universals can be successfully isolated by abstraction, even if they do not exist as separate entities in the world.
     From: report of Boethius (Second Commentary on 'Isagoge' [c.517]) by Claude Panaccio - Medieval Problem of Universals 'Sources'
     A reaction: Personally I rather like this unfashionable view. I can't think of any other plausible explanation, unless it is a less conscious psychological process of labelling. Boethius's idea led to medieval 'immanent realism'.