Nominalism and Realism

Nominalism and realism are what are opposed to each other. The difference between them is great. Understanding both gives an opportunity to look at the usual things a little differently. The debate about which theory is correct is an age-old one. Many leading philosophers took part in it. Everyone expressed his opinion, relying on the works of earlier thinkers.

Realism and nominalism are the opposing directions of medieval scholastic philosophy. Proponents of nominalism tried to prove that there are only isolated things, and supporters of realism were convinced that everything exists in the divine mind. The extreme nominalists argued that common concepts are the result of abstraction, which is associated with thinking, extreme realists have argued that common concepts are universals that exist independently of us - they were before the appearance of things.

Nominalism and realism in medieval philosophy differed greatly from one another, were in a state of contradiction. Discussions that arose between the parties led to the emergence and development of a certain logic, which greatly influenced the development of scholasticism. Also nominalism and realism, or rather disputes related to them, led to the development of scientific rigor, influenced the theory of sets. The polemic of nominalism and realism lasted several centuries.

Realism of the Middle Ages is a doctrine in which it is asserted that only universals (that is, general concepts) have a reality. In this case, things themselves are temporary, individual and constantly changing. Concepts are the root cause of things - they originated from the divine mind.

In nominalism, however, emphasis is placed on the fact that will prevails over reason. There are no concepts in the divine mind. The will of God was aimed at the creation of things, the concepts are the creation of the knowing souls.

Thomas Aquinas tried to overcome both extremes. In response to nominalists, he said that concepts that appeared by the will of the divine mind are the prototypes of those concepts that we have now. Realists, he argued that those concepts that are formed in the mind of man, are secondary to the basic essence of things.

Thomas Aquinas asserted that knowledge is based on the fact that two sides act immediately on man - the intelligible, and also the sensible. The point is that objects lead a peculiar double existence: within the consciousness of a person, and also outside it. Sensual views give people an opportunity to understand the individual in things. The philosophical knowledge of things raises man, brings him closer to God.

Nominalism and realism were later treated somewhat differently. With the help of knowledge of things, thinkers tried to answer questions related to the existence of things, its causes, principles, and meaning. Many believed that it is through things that one can comprehend reality.

Realism as a direction of scholasticism is a doctrine in which it is asserted that the real reality is connected only with universals, and single objects have nothing to do with it. The place of existence of such objects is the empirical world. On the real existence can only speak in relation to things that have a permanence, which are eternal. Universalia are thoughts that come from the divine mind.

In nominalism, the existence of general concepts was not allowed. Universala is what came after things. General concepts are only names that can not exist at all in their own right.

Nominalism and realism is a dispute about how the transaction and the common are interacting. Of course, there is much in realism from idealism, and in nominalism - from materialism.