Full Idea
The essentialist line (one I trace to Aristotle, Descartes and Kripke) is driving us away from, not closer to, the real nature of things. It promised a sort of Hubble telescope - essences - able to reveal the deep structure of reality.
Gist of Idea
Essences promise to reveal reality, but actually drive us away from it
Source
Joseph Almog (Nature Without Essence [2010], Intro)
Book Reference
-: 'Journal of Philosophy' [-], p.360
A Reaction
I suspect this is tilting at a straw man. No one thinks we should hunt for essences instead of doing normal science. 'Essence' just labels what you've got when you succeed.