more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Everything that a naturalist could legitimately want from the concept of a natural kind can be had simply by reference to real patterns.
Gist of Idea
There is nothing more to a natural kind than a real pattern in nature
Source
J Ladyman / D Ross (Every Thing Must Go [2007], 5.6)
Book Ref
Ladyman,J/Ross,D: 'Every Thing Must Go' [OUP 2007], p.294
A Reaction
I think I agree with this, and with the general idea that natural kinds are overrated. There are varying degrees of stability in nature, and where there is a lot of stability our inductive reasoning can get to work. And that's it.