Single Idea 7970

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 5. Class Nominalism]

Full Idea

Armstrong dubs Quine an 'Ostrich Nominalist' (what problem??), but Quine calls himself a Platonist, because he is committed to classes or sets as well as particulars. He is not an extreme nominalist, and might best be called a Class Nominalist.

Gist of Idea

Quine is committed to sets, but is more a Class Nominalist than a Platonist

Source

report of Willard Quine (works [1961], Ch.6 n15) by Cynthia Macdonald - Varieties of Things

Book Reference

Macdonald,Cynthia: 'Varieties of Things' [Blackwell 2005], p.255


A Reaction

For someone as ontologically austere as Quine to show 'commitment' to sets deserves some recognition. If he wants to be a Platonist, I say that's fine. What on earth is a set, apart from its members?