Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Journal | Volume | Article

257689

Individuality, concreteness, and the gift of bonds

Roberta de Monticelli(University Vita-Salute San Raffaele)

pp. 5-24

Abstract

Post-Quinean Nominalism is widely regarded as a metaphysics of concreteness, suggesting (in line with scientific naturalism) that ordinary language and common sense might be in the grip of “ordinary hallucinations” (Varzi 2010), or untutored belief in abstract entities. Drawing on both medieval and contemporary sources, this paper argues that, far from encouraging our minds to stick to concreteness and individuals, an untutored usage of Ockham’s Razor prompts the elision of concreteness and the everyday world from contemporary metaphysics. A theory of individuality based on Husserl’s concept of Unitary Foundation is outlined, and partially traced back to the metaphysicians of essential individuality, or haecceity: Boethius, Scotus, Leibniz – the champions of the “Unitarian Tradition.”

Publication details

Published in:

Breyer Thiemo, Jansen Julia, Römer Inga (2020) Phänomenologische Forschungen – Neue Folge 24 (1).

Pages: 5-24

Full citation:

De Monticelli Roberta (2020) „Individuality, concreteness, and the gift of bonds“. Phänomenologische Forschungen – Neue Folge 24 (1), 5–24.