Full Idea
Modern science seeks to know the real essences of things, and its increasing successes seem to be bringing it progressively nearer to that goal.
Gist of Idea
Modern science seeks essences, and is getting closer to them
Source
Irving M. Copi (Essence and Accident [1954], p.715)
Book Reference
-: 'Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.715
A Reaction
This is from a notable pioneering paper, which outlined scientific essentialism even before Marcus and Kripke began to offer a modern account of essence to give it backing. Compare Popper, who thinks essences are will-o-the-wisps.