LessonsConcepts: Particular and Universal, and Six Cases of UniversalsQuiz

On printed page 30 the commentary raises an objection. A vague perception of a distant specific object, or an infant's early undifferentiated recognition, may appear to fit more than one individual.

If any possibility of matching multiple people were sufficient, then an imprecise image of one particular thing would become a universal merely because it is hard to identify its source.

The objection shows why superficial resemblance or ambiguity among individual cases cannot substitute for the technical account of universality.

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An objection to the definition of universal

Concepts: Particular and Universal, and Six Cases of Universals

On printed page 30 the commentary raises an objection. A vague perception of a distant specific object, or an infant's early undifferentiated recognition, may appear to fit more than one individual.

If any possibility of matching multiple people were sufficient, then an imprecise image of one particular thing would become a universal merely because it is hard to identify its source.

The objection shows why superficial resemblance or ambiguity among individual cases cannot substitute for the technical account of universality.