Microessentialism: What is the Argument?

• Published in: Noûs (Bloomington, Indiana) Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 1 - 21
• Main Author: Needham, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.03.2011; Wiley-Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Chemical composition; Chemicals; Chemistry; Epistemology. Philosophy of science. Theory of knowledge; Filosofiämnen; Historisk-filosofiska ämnen; History and philosophy subjects; HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP; HUMANITIES and RELIGION; Ice; Kripke; Liquids; Microstructure; micrsessentialism; Molecular structure; Molecules; Natural kinds; Oxygen; Philosophy; Philosophy of science; Philosophy subjects; Putnam; Sea water; Teoretisk filosofi; Theoretical philosophy; water; Hilary Whitehall Putnam; Substance; Chemistry; Microscopic analysis; Description; Kripke (S. A.)

According to microessentialism, it is necessary to resort to microstructure in order to adequately characterise chemical substances such as water. But the thesis has never been properly supported by argument. Kripke and Putnam, who originally proposed the thesis, suggest that a so-called stereotypic...