Despite its many obvious shortcomings, the human mind is a remarkably productive generator of categories—from the Linnaean system of taxonomy to two drinkers in a bar arguing over India Pale Ales, and indeed the person sitting next to them who complains to the bartender about “hipsters” taking over his favorite bar. This natural proclivity to set out a number of categories and Continue Reading …
Episode 163: Guest Stewart Umphrey on Natural Kinds (Part Two)
Continuing our interview about Natural Kinds and Genesis: The Classification of Material Entities. Now we get down to it: Given the argument for continuants in part 1, Stewart talks about how that founds the idea of a natural kind (the nature of a continuant) and considers what might count as one. Should the fact that there are borderline cases, i.e., vagueness in a concept, Continue Reading …
Episode 163: Guest Stewart Umphrey on Natural Kinds (Part One)
Dylan goes on location to St. John's College, Annapolis to talk with Stewart Umphrey about his book Natural Kinds and Genesis: The Classification of Material Entities (2016), with Mark and Wes lobbing in questions remotely. Are general terms like "water" or "dog" or even "chair" just things that we made up to order the world we experience? Aristotle thought that some Continue Reading …
Episode 163: Guest Stewart Umphrey on Natural Kinds (Citizen Edition)
Dylan goes on location to St. John's College Annapolis to talk with Stewart Umphrey about his book Natural Kinds and Genesis: The Classification of Material Entities (2016), with Mark and Wes lobbing in questions remotely. Are general terms like "water" or "dog" or even "chair" just things that we made up to order the world we experience? Aristotle thought that some Continue Reading …