Full Idea
Two objections to deep essentialism are that it falters when faced with a skeptical objection concerning arbitrariness, and the need for a reductive account of de re modality.
Gist of Idea
Essentialism must deal with charges of arbitrariness, and failure to reduce de re modality
Source
L.A. Paul (In Defense of Essentialism [2006], Intro)
Book Reference
'Metaphysics (Philosophical Perspectives 20)', ed/tr. Hawthorne,John [Blackwell 2006], p.334
A Reaction
An immediate response to the second objection might be to say that modal facts about things are not reducible. The charge of arbitrariness (i.e. total arbitrariness, not just a bit of uncertainty) is the main thing a theory of essences must deal with.
Related Ideas
Idea 14190 Deep essentialist objects have intrinsic properties that fix their nature; the shallow version makes it contextual [Paul,LA]
Idea 14191 Deep essentialists say essences constrain how things could change; modal profiles fix natures [Paul,LA]