Does Ockham’s razor matter to the problem of universals?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31977/grirfi.v25i3.5374Palavras-chave:
Ockham’s Razor; the Problem of Universals; Ontological Parsimony; Ideological Parsimony; Nominalism.Resumo
This paper investigates how Ockham’s Razor can be applied to compare and evaluate solutions to the Problem of Universals. Initially, I discuss three formulations of this principle. Two kinds of parsimony emerge from this debate: ontological and ideological parsimony. Concerning the Problem of Universals, there are three groups of solutions: Realism, Nominalism, and Trope Theory. Analyzing the most parsimonious theory of each, in terms of ontological and ideological parsimony, yields a negative evaluation of the Razor. Ontological and ideological parsimony are not useful for determining whether one solution to the Problem of Universals is superior to another.
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