Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Of Liberty and Necessity', 'The Analytic/Synthetic Distinction' and 'Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy'

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these texts

display all the ideas for this combination of texts

---

1 idea

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 3. Individual Essences

14435	The essence of individuality is beyond description, and hence irrelevant to science [Russell]
	Full Idea: The essence of individuality always eludes words and baffles description, and is for that very reason irrelevant to science.
	From: Bertrand Russell (Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy [1919], VI)
	A reaction: [context needed for a full grasp of this idea] Russell seems to refer to essence as much as to individuality. The modern essentialist view is that essences are not beyond description after all. Fundamental physics is clearer now than in 1919.