1st Edition

The Routledge Handbook of Essence in Philosophy

Edited By Kathrin Koslicki, Michael J. Raven Copyright 2024
532 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

532 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

532 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Essences have been assigned important but controversial explanatory roles in philosophical, scientific, and social theorizing. Is it possible for the same organism to be first a caterpillar and then a butterfly? Is it impossible for a human being to transform into an insect like Gregor Samsa does in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis ? Is it impossible for Lot’s wife to survive being turned into a... Read more

Introduction Kathrin Koslicki and Michael J. Raven

Part 1: History

1. Ancient Marko Malink

2. Medieval Gloria Frost

3. Modern Anat Schechtman

4. Pragmatism Andrew Howat

5. Contemporary (Phenomenological Tradition) Kevin Mulligan

6. Contemporary (Analytic Tradition) Robert Michels

Part 2: Essence and Essentialisms: Themes and Variations

7. Modal Conceptions of Essence Alessandro Torza

8. Non-Modal Conceptions of Essence Fabrice Correia

9. Essences of Individuals Marco Marabello

10. Natural Kind Essentialsm Tuomas E. Tahko

11. Origin Essentialism Teresa Robertson Ishii

12. Scientific Essentialism Travis Dumsday

13. Dispositional Essentialism Ka Ho Lam

14. The Epistemology of Essence Antonella Mallozzi

15. Language of Essence Katherine Ritchie

16. Logic of Essence Jon Erling Litland

Part 3: Applications

17. Artifacts, Artworks, and Social Objects Asya Passinsky

18. Biological Species Ingo Brigandt

19. Identity, Persistence, and Individuation Maria Scarpati

20. Essence, Grounding, and Explanation David Mark Kovacs

21. The "Reduction" of Necessity to Non-Modal Essence Kathrin Koslicki

22. Persons Annina Loets

23. Psychiatric Kinds Danielle Brown

24. Race Ron Mallon

25. Sex and Gender Esther Rosario

26. Social Justice Natalie Stoljar

27. Unity Charlotte Witt

28. Ethical Value Stavroula Glezakos and Julie Tannenbaum

Part 4: Anti-Essentialist Challenges

29. Quine on Essence Kit Fine

30. Conventionalism Jonathan Livingstone-Banks and Alan Sidelle

31. Social Construction Aaron M. Griffith

32. Conferralism Anand Jaypraksash Vaidya and Michael Wallner

33. Wittgenstein Arata Hamawaki

Index

Biography

Kathrin Koslicki is Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Neuchâtel. Koslicki’s research interests in philosophy lie mainly in metaphysics, the philosophy of language and ancient Greek philosophy, particularly Aristotle. In her two books (The Structure of Objects, Oxford UP, 2008; and Form, Matter, Substance, Oxford UP, 2018), she defends a neo-Aristotelian analysis of concrete particular objects as compounds of matter (hulē) and form (morphē).

Michael J. Raven is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Victoria and Affiliate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington. He is a co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of the journal Metaphysics, and also a co-founder and steering committee member of the Metaphysics Collaborative.