Single Idea 17191

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 7. Essence and Necessity / b. Essence not necessities]

Full Idea

That which is common to everything, and which is equally in the part and in the whole, forms the essence of no individual thing.

Gist of Idea

Nothing is essential if it is in every part, and is common to everything

Source

Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], II Pr 37)

Book Reference

Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics', ed/tr. White,WH/Stirling,AH [Wordsworth 2001], p.76


A Reaction

I like this, because treating essences as mere necessary properties threatens to include utter trivia and universal generalities, just because they are necessary. Rejecting things as 'trivial' by stipulation won't do.