Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Locke on Essences and Kinds', 'Course of Positive Philosophy' and 'Reply to Fifth Objections'

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10 ideas

1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 2. Positivism
The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson]
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / a. Substance
Knowing the attributes is enough to reveal a substance [Descartes]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 13. Nominal Essence
Nominal essence are the observable properties of things [Eagle]
If kinds depend only on what can be observed, many underlying essences might produce the same kind [Eagle]
Nominal essence mistakenly gives equal weight to all underlying properties that produce appearances [Eagle]
12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 3. Innate Knowledge / a. Innate knowledge
Our thinking about external things doesn't disprove the existence of innate ideas [Descartes]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / c. Nativist concepts
A blind man may still contain the idea of colour [Descartes]
26. Natural Theory / B. Natural Kinds / 4. Source of Kinds
Kinds are fixed by the essential properties of things - the properties that make it that kind of thing [Eagle]
28. God / B. Proving God / 2. Proofs of Reason / a. Ontological Proof
Necessary existence is a property which is uniquely part of God's essence [Descartes]
Possible existence is a perfection in the idea of a triangle [Descartes]