Download Ontological Categories by Jan Westerhoff PDF
By Jan Westerhoff
The idea that of an ontological type is relevant to metaphysics. Metaphysicians argue approximately which class of life an item will be assigned to, no matter if one classification should be decreased to a different one, or even if there should be assorted both sufficient structures of categorization. solutions to those questions presuppose a transparent realizing of what accurately an ontological class is, and Jan Westerhoff now presents the 1st in-depth research. After analyzing quite a few tried definitions, he proceeds to argue for a brand new figuring out of ontological different types, in accordance with which they're systematizations of our wisdom of the area instead of crucial features of the area itself. Metaphysicians will locate his paintings hugely stimulating.
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Extra info for Ontological Categories
Sample text
Given that the study of ontology has been going on for more than two thousand years and has treated a relatively uniform collection of concepts—just compare it to what was regarded as logic at various times—I take it that there is some plausibility in assuming there to be a unifying bond which ties together what this discipline talks about. We only have to find out what this bond is. I do not agree, however, that this is in any way obvious, as for example Nicolai Hartmann assumes in his four-volume study of ontology: And if one inquires further what the [ontological] categories are, the answer is immediately obvious as soon as one considers some examples, such as unity and plurality, quantity and quality, measure and size, time and space, becoming and permanence, causality and necessity and so forth.
But given that the >-maximal categories properly include the ontological categories, how far down the ordering shall we go? Where is the cut-off point for ontological categories? Given the second assumption there must be some such point. Clearly, on Katz’s analysis it is after the highest node or nodes of the tree of kinds. But this seems to be unsatisfactory, especially if there is one universal marker (as for example in CHISHOLM, LOWE, GROSSMANN, HOFFMAN/ROSENKRANTZ, and CYC), which would then have to be considered as the only ontological category and would make ontology a rather boring discipline.
14 18 Fig. 7 Sample cases CYC §2 Common features The seven systems of ontological categories discussed above will have given the reader some impression of the diversity of accounts which have been advanced by ontologists. In spite of this diversity most of them have several features in common. These features can be divided into two groups: the content of the systems and their structure. It is clear that there is no such thing as a set of ontological categories which all systems agree on. But there is a considerable degree of overlap.