The problem of universals
Channel: Jan Willem Lindemans
Date: 2011-11-28

I introduce the philosophical distinction between "universals" and "particulars", namely general/abstract and specific/concrete things. The ancient Greek believed that knowledge is insight into the universal. However, it is not clear what universals are, whether they exist, where they exist and how we can know them. That is the old "problem of universals", of which I explain the basics. Enjoy Jan Academy!