History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 263 - One in a Million - Scotus on Universals and Individuals
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Oct 23, 2016 Scotus explains the existence of universal natures and their implications. He proposes a moderate view between realism and nominalism. Scotus presents arguments for the reality of shared natures and addresses the problem of individuality. He explores his theory on individuation and a principle known as hexaity. Scotus argues for intuitive cognition and its impact on 14th-century philosophy.
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Poem Framing The Puzzle
- The episode begins with the poem "Roses are red, violets are blue" to introduce puzzles about universals and individuation.
- Peter Adamson uses the joke about violets and gardening to frame Abelard and realist debates.
Real Yet Non‑Universal Natures
- Scotus accepts that common natures have a real, lesser unity distinct from full individuality.
- He locates universality partly in the mind while granting shared natures real but non‑numerical being.
Common Natures Ground Causation
- Scotus argues we need common natures to account for causation and our general concepts.
- Universal ideas must latch onto something real in particulars, otherwise general judgments would be mere fictions.