Principle of Individuation (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Principle of Individuation is a criterion which supposedly individuates or numerically distinguishes the members of the kind for which it is given, i.e. by which we can supposedly determine, regarding any kind of thing, when we have more than one of them or not. It is also known as a ''criterion of identity'' or ''indiscernibility principle''. The history of the consideration of such a principle begins with Aristotle. It was much discussed by the medieval philosophers, particularly Bonaventura and Scotus, and later by Francisco Suarez and Leibniz. Some philosophers have denied the need for any such principle. Taking issue with the view expressed in certain Platonic dialogues that universal Forms (such as the Good, the Just, the Triangular and so on) constitute reality, Aristotle regarded an individual as something real in itself. An individual therefore has two kinds of unity: specific and numerical.