Essay The Problem of Universals - 3365 Words

Metaphysics The Problem of Universals The Ontological problem has occupied many philosophers and intellectuals since the very beginning of human thought. What seems to be a simple and rather ridiculous question to the average person, ‘what exists?’ or ‘what is there?’ serves as the general question for the ontological problem. Almost everyone accepts the existence of physical objects, to which I will now refer as ‘particulars’. Actual pencils, buildings, cats, humans and planets are all examples of particulars. In fact, any physical object that is perceivable by sense perception qualifies as a particular. A particular exists at one place at a given moment in time. For example, an individual such as President George W. Bush cannot be†¦show more content†¦How can we see it? Well, the realists answer: The fact that we think that we do not notice it, or do not perceive it (the universal) does not prove that it does not exist. It is enough for us to see that the tiger exemplifi es the universal, in order to know that it exists. Moreover, realists argue that the same universal, that of ‘whiteness’, is the same one being referred to by all predicates in sentences such as: ‘this tiger is white’, or the ‘house walls are white’ or ‘white is a color’. It is the same exact object, same universal, that is being exemplified by all those particulars. If this is not the case, then we would have a big problem when accounting for similarities between particulars, for example: two red spots, which are indistinguishable (to us). The Realists claim that we do actually see universals. We see them when we look at a red spot for example. That is, we see the universal of ‘red’ or ‘redness’, but we do not know that we see it. In fact, whenever we look at a red object (assuming we look at red objects with the exact same shade), we see the same universal. This strikes us as counter-intuitive. How can a nything exist in multiple locations at the same time? How can we know that there is a universal there while we can’t see it? It seems like the realist has many difficult questions to answer. The realists who argue for the existence of universals, say that in those sentences whose predicates qualify as universals (the realists must explainShow MoreRelatedA Theory Of Ontology And A Position On The Problem Of Universals Essay1319 Words   |  6 Pagesand a position on the problem of universals. The problem of universals questions the existence of universals. Universals are properties and relations which are held in common by shared qualities. In comparison, particulars are concrete entities. The debate is centred around two opposing viewpoints – nominalist and realists. Realists believe in universals, nominalists do not. While realists endorse both universals and particulars, nominalists reject the notion of universals and only accept the existenceRead MoreGlobal Warming Is a Universal Problem Essay739 Words   |  3 PagesSimple meaning of global warming is that a progressive increase that takes place in overall climate of earth’s atmosphere this called global warming. Global warming is a universal problem, every country is suffering from it drastic effects. Climate change is mostly due to global warming. The Global warming is mainly caused by greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, CFC, nitrous oxide, methane, and many other gases are collectively called greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is major among them. 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IndeterministicRead MoreEssay On Student Behavior710 Words   |  3 PagesFurthermore, children who have internalizing behavior problems often do not receive ODRs (McIntosh, Campbell, Russell, Zumbo, 2009); however, these children are still at-risk for academic concerns. MTSS as Prevention. Schools are an ideal place to assist children with mental health issues. Using a preventive model, such as the MTSS model described above, to catch problems early may prevent children from developing more serious or longer-term problems. Research indicates that treating children who areRead MoreThe Increasing Incidences Of Mrsa941 Words   |  4 PagesThe increasing incidences of MRSA in the hospitalized patients are becoming an alarming problem due to the poor surveillance screening for risk of infection. The literature and synthesis of the evidence largely recommends that the use of universal MRSA surveillance can increase the identification of MRSA infection or carriage. 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