Single Idea 16639

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / a. Nominalism]

Full Idea

Nothing truly exists in nature beyond individual bodies.

Gist of Idea

Only individual bodies exist

Source

Francis Bacon (The New Organon [1620]), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 182

Book Reference

Pasnau,Robert: 'Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671' [OUP 2011], p.182


A Reaction

[Unusually, Pasnau gives no reference in the text; possibly II:1-2] What this leaves out, from even an auster nominalist ontology, is undifferentiated stuff like water. Even electrons don't seem quite distinct from one another.

Related Ideas

Idea 7717 All things that exist are particulars [Locke]

Idea 21400 Stoics avoided universals by paraphrasing 'Man is...' as 'If something is a man, then it is...' [Stoic school, by Long]