nominalism

is (in resemblance nominalism) not necessarily reliant on belief in a universal in that the resemblance relation could simply be considered a resemblance in virtue of its resemblance to other resemblance relations.

Others argue that each resemblance relation is a particular, and is a resemblance relation simply in virtue of its resemblance to other resemblance relations. This generates an infinite regress, but many argue that it is not vicious.

is (in resemblance nominalism) the belief that if there is any universal it is not at the level of objects at the far more abstract level of a 'resemblance relation'. That is, two different cats are called 'cat' not because they possess the property of 'catness' but because they resemble each other closely enough and differ from other things greatly enough, that, out of an abundance of convenience, they are classed together.

Resemblance nominalist believe that 'cat' applies to both cats because Fluffy and Kitzler resemble an exemplar cat closely enough to be classed together with it as members of its kind, or that they differ from each other (and other cats) quite less than they differ from other things, and this warrants classing them together.[6] Some resemblance nominalist will concede that the resemblance relation is itself a universal, but is the only universal necessary. Others argue that each resemblance relation is a particular, and is a resemblance relation simply in virtue of its resemblance to other resemblance relations. This generates an infinite regress, but many argue that it is not vicious.

is contrasted with platonism which claims that objects like the perfect circle (i.e. Abstract objects) exist.

nominalism about abstract objects is usually contrasted with platonism which claims abstract objects do exist as before these positions will differ depending on how you define abstract and concrete objects.

is, in the field of mathematics, the belief that, say the concept of 'number' does not exist, and mathematics is instead only talking about concrete objects.

for an example mathematical nominalism is a version of nominalism about abstract objects it basically states that the abstract objects of mathematics do not exist or at least mathematics is only talking about concrete objects.

is not platonic and universal, but rather individual and particular. as such, God could not be understood by human reason of universals but only by biblical revelation or mystical experience.

way the nominalist revolution against scholasticism shattered every aspect of the medieval world.

is omnipotence. And if a universal did exist, God would be unable to destroy any instance of it without destroying the universal itself.

way Arkham's assertion of ontological individualism undermines not only ontological realism but also syllogistic logic and science for in the absence of real universals names become mere signs or signs assigns.

is opposed to realism which holds that blueness exist over and above the sky or the ocean, which merely instantiate blueness.

Nominalism is primarily a position on the problem of universals, which dates back at least to Plato, and is opposed to realist philosophies, such as Platonic realism, which assert that universals do exist over and above particulars. However, the name 'nominalism' emerged from debates in medieval philosophy with Roscellinus.

is thinking that blueness is universal, which is to say that it is not something that can be instantiated in the sky or in the ocean..

you can be a nominalist about universals that means that you think that universals do not exist there is nothing that can be instantiated by multiple entities numberless about universals are also committed to claiming that everything is there for particular only existing or instantiated once in the particular.

nominalism, n.All

nominalism