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Universals: conceptualism. Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. Ontology. What exists? Particular things These are classified: whale, animal, living thing, physical object These classifications are not arbitrary – all whales have something in common, all animals do, etc.
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Universals: conceptualism Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk
Ontology • What exists? • Particular things • These are classified: whale, animal, living thing, physical object • These classifications are not arbitrary – all whales have something in common, all animals do, etc. • ‘Being a whale’/’whaleness’ – does this property exist?
Alternatives • What do all honest people have in common? • Realism: Honesty – this is a noun, and nouns pick out a ‘something’ • Nominalism (predicate): the term ‘honest’ applies to them • In virtue of similarities between them • Nominalism (conceptualism): they all fall under the concept HONEST
Conceptualism • Nominalism: only particular things exist • We classify particular things using general concepts • ‘Honest’ doesn’t mean the concept HONEST (properties aren’t concepts) • But something has the property honesty in virtue of falling under the concept HONEST
Advantage • Not all concepts/general terms have reference, e.g. WITCH • Over predicate nominalism: ‘witch’ can’t refer to the resemblances between particulars • Over realism: ‘witch’ can’t refer to a universal • But ‘witch’ has meaning – derived from the concept WITCH
Objections • Where do our concepts/classifications come from? • Must be similarities or resemblance between particulars • But then ‘resemblance’ is itself what is fundamental, not the concept • Russell: ‘resemblance’ is a relation, and relations are universals! • What’s the origin of the concept ‘resemblance’? Real similarities
Objections • Without universals, we can’t explain our abilities to recognise, categorise or generalise about particulars • But concepts aren’t all-or-nothing, as universals are, e.g. prototype analysis • Without universals, explanations fail • E.g. why did the scales move? Because of the weight • The weight of a particular is independent of us, even if the system of weight is not
Discussion • General terms may derive their meaning from our concepts, but the story can’t stop their – our concepts must derive from reality • Concepts that correspond to reality pick out universals; for concepts that do not, e.g. WITCH, there are no universals • Alternative: reality is mind-dependent?