Combining Texts

Ideas for 'The Evolution of Logic', 'Reference and Essence (1st edn)' and 'The Metaphysics of Scientific Realism'

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2 ideas

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 5. Essence as Kind

12679	A real essence is a kind's distinctive properties [Ellis]
	Full Idea: A distinctive set of intrinsic properties for a given kind is called a 'real essence'.
	From: Brian Ellis (The Metaphysics of Scientific Realism [2009], 3)
	A reaction: Note that he thinks essence is a set of properties (rather than what gives rise to the properties), and that it is kinds (and not individuals) which have real essences, and that one role of the properties is to be 'distinctive' of the kind. Cf. Oderberg.

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 7. Essence and Necessity / a. Essence as necessary properties

18888	Essentialism says some properties must be possessed, if a thing is to exist [Salmon,N]
	Full Idea: The metaphysical doctrine of essentialism says that certain properties of things are properties that those things could not fail to have, except by not existing.
	From: Nathan Salmon (Reference and Essence (1st edn) [1981], 3.8.2)
	A reaction: A bad account of essentialism, and a long way from Aristotle. It arises from the logicians' tendency to fix objects entirely in terms of a 'flat' list of predicates (called 'properties'!), which ignore structure, constitution, history etc.