Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / David Oderberg Real Essentialism.

**Posted by AKG** 8/26/2015 8:10 am

Hello,
With regards to Real Essentialism by David Oderberg would anyone here reccomend it? Furthermore in his book how does Oderberg deal with the claim that evolution, DNA, and elementary atoms refute substantial form and essence of things? I looked at a paper of his where he said that he went into more depth with this.

**Posted by DanielCC** 8/26/2015 9:01 am

AKG wrote:
Hello,
With regards to Real Essentialism by David Oderberg would anyone here reccomend it? .

That would be an understatement - it's basically the 'go-to' Analytical text for Scholastic Essentialism.

There seems to be some confusion about 'evolution, DNA, and elementary atoms refuting substantial form and essences of things' though - in fact I cannot see what the claim would be as opposed to there being a whole body of mutually exclusive claims i.e. if mereological nihilism were true and only fundamental particles existed then said particles would still have necessary as opposed to accidental properties and would still have substantial forms. The big debate between essentialists is whether gradual evolution prevents there being any discrete biological nature a kind, a point Oderberg does take up and argue against.

For an easy to access introduction to 'modern' Essentialism in a scientific context it's also worth checking out Brian Ellis'The Philosophy of Nature: A Guide to the New Essentialism (Ellis is an atheist).

For a full blooded defence of Scholastic metaphysics with an eye to modern evolutionary biology check out the works of Stephen Boulter especially his Metaphysics from a Biological Point of View. A nice sellection of his essays can be downloaded for free hereincluding:

Can Evolutionary Biology do Without Aristotelian Essentialism?

Last edited by DanielCC (8/26/2015 9:09 am)

**Posted by Scott** 8/26/2015 9:25 am

I second Daniel's recommendation. It's a fine book.

**Posted by AKG** 8/26/2015 10:30 am

Thanks guys.
With regards to the revival of scholasticism today, do you think it will ever begin to rival the footing naturalism currently has?

**Posted by iwpoe** 8/26/2015 12:14 pm

No.

A general anti-naturalism might, but Scholasticism won't.

**Posted by DanielCC** 8/26/2015 1:14 pm

I would take the converse line to iwpoe here. Will 'natural' theism ever become the mainstream cultural view? No, at least not while the current paradigm of Anglophone culture lasts - there's too much historical and socio-political baggage for it even to get a clear hearing. Will Scholasticism become the dominate view in Philosophy of Religion circles? Difficult to say. Again I would incline towards the negative and I think the reason for this is more to do with underlying tensions tied in with its Catholic heritage than anything else. Will 'real' essentialism - essences (natural kinds), powers (dispositional properties), immanent teleology (physical intentionality), active and passive potency (casual capacities and liabilities) rival Humeanism in philosophy of science? Here I think we have cause to hope so.