Nominalism is a philosophical doctrine associated with the idea that only concrete entities exist in the universe, and that abstract concepts such as numbers, sets, and properties are merely names given to them by humans. This doctrine has been discussed in the philosophical literature for centuries, and continues to be an area of active debate. In this article, we will explore the history of nominalism, as well as the current positions of its proponents and opponents.
The history of nominalism dates back to the ancient Greeks, particularly the Pre-Socratics. Parmenides, for example, argued that the universe consists of only one thing, and that all other things are merely names given to it by humans. Later, Plato and Aristotle debated the role of abstract entities in the universe, with Plato arguing that abstract entities do exist and Aristotle arguing that they are mere names.
In the Middle Ages, the debate between nominalism and realism continued. The most influential proponent of nominalism was William of Ockham, who argued that all entities can be reduced to particulars, and that abstract entities such as universals and properties simply do not exist. This view came to be known as Ockham’s razor, and is still influential today.
Nominalism has been a point of contention in modern philosophy as well. In the early twentieth century, the logical positivists argued that all statements about the world should be verifiable through experience, and that all non-verifiable statements should be rejected. This view was closely associated with nominalism, as it rejected the idea that abstract entities could be meaningful.
In the present day, nominalism continues to be an active area of debate. Proponents of nominalism argue that abstract entities are merely names given to concrete entities, and that any statements involving abstract entities are ultimately meaningless. Opponents of nominalism argue that abstract entities are real, and that statements involving them can be meaningful.
No matter what one’s opinion of nominalism is, it is clear that it has had a long and interesting history. It has been debated by ancient philosophers, medieval theologians, and modern philosophers alike, and continues to be an area of active discussion today.
References
Aristotle. (1924). Metaphysics. Oxford University Press.
Ockham, W. (1922). Summa Logicae. Oxford University Press.
Plato. (1921). The Republic. Oxford University Press.
Reichenbach, H. (1938). Experience and Prediction. University of Chicago Press.
Verburg, A. (2019). The Debate between Realism and Nominalism: A Historical Overview. Philosophy Compass, 14(6), e12582.https://doi.org/10.1111/phc3.12582