more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Can the essence of an object (ineliminably) involve that object itself (perhaps through self-identity, giving a direct circularity), or have an indirect circularity involving two or more objects (such as admiration between Watson and Holmes).
Gist of Idea
Can the essence of an object circularly involve itself, or involve another object?
Source
Kit Fine (Senses of Essence [1995], §7)
Book Ref
'Modality, Morality and Belief', ed/tr. Sinnott-Armstrong/Raffman/Asher [CUP 1995], p.65
A Reaction
[compressed] This looks like one of the basic questions which any theory of essentialism must address.