Single Idea 5443

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 1. Essences of Objects]

Full Idea

The revival of essentialism owes much to the work of Saul Kripke and Hilary Putnam, who made belief in essences once again respectable, with Harré and Madden arguing that there were real causal powers in nature.

Clarification

For 'essentialism', see under NATURE/LAWS OF NATURE

Gist of Idea

Kripke and others have made essentialism once again respectable

Source

Brian Ellis (The Philosophy of Nature: new essentialism [2002], Intro)

Book Reference

Ellis,Brian: 'The Philosophy of Nature: new essentialism' [Acumen 2002], p.7


A Reaction

It seems to me important to separate two stages of this: 1) causation results from essences, and 2) essences can never change. The first seems persuasive to me. For the second, see METAPHYSICS/IDENTITY/COUNTERPARTS.