Single Idea 7699

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / c. Modern abstracta]

Full Idea

Roughly, numbers, sets and propositions are assumed to be abstract particulars, while properties, including qualities and relations, are usually thought to be universals.

Gist of Idea

Numbers, sets and propositions are abstract particulars; properties, qualities and relations are universals

Source

Dale Jacquette (Ontology [2002], Ch. 9)

Book Reference

Jacquette,Dale: 'Ontology' [Acumen 2002], p.209


A Reaction

There is an interesting nominalist project of reducing all of these to particulars. Numbers to patterns, sets to their members, propositions to sentences, properties to causal powers, relations to, er, something else.