Quote: there is nothing universal but names; the things named are not themselves universal

Quotation

6. The universality of one name to many things, hath been the cause that men think the things are themselves universal; and so seriously contend, that besides Peter and John, and all the rest of the men that are, have been, or shall be in the world, there is yet something else that we call man, viz. man in general, deceiving themselves, by taking the universal, or general appellation, for the thing it signifieth: for if one should desire the painter to make him the picture of a man, ... the painter should choose what man he pleaseth to draw ... It is plain therefore, that there is nothing universal but names   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Related Topics

Group: naming   (32 topics, 789 quotes)
Topic: symbolic representation (26 items)
Topic: abstraction by name (29 items)