Nominalism and idealism

Herbert Hochberg

pp. 213-234

in: The metaphysics of exemplification, Axiomathes 23 (2), 2013.

Abstract

The article considers, in a historical setting, the links between varieties of nominalism—the extreme nominalism of the Quine-Goodman variety and the trope nominalism current today—and types of idealism. In so doing arguments of various twentieth century figures, including Husserl, Bradley, Russell, and Sartre, as well as a contemporary attack on relations by Peter Simons are critically examined. The paper seeks to link the rejection of realism about universals with the rejection of a mind-independent "world"—in short, linking nominalism with idealism.

Cited authors

Husserl Edmund

Sartre Jean-Paul

Simons Peter

Quine Willard Van Orman