Nominalism and realism - this is what is opposedeach 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 antagonisticdirections 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 also argued that common concepts are universals that exist independently of us - they were before the appearance of things.
Nominalism and Realism in Medieval Philosophydiffered greatly from each other, 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 whichit 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 the willprevails 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 the 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 argued that knowledge is basedon the fact that the two sides act immediately on the person - the intelligible, and also the sensual. The point is that objects lead a peculiar double existence: within the consciousness of a person, and also outside it. Sensual views give people the opportunity to understand the individual in things. The philosophical knowledge of things raises man, brings him closer to God.
Nominalism and realism a little later becametreated 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 isa doctrine in which it is asserted that the true reality is connected only with universals, and the individual objects have nothing in common with it. The place of existence of such objects is the empirical world. About real being can be said only in relation to things that have constancy, which are eternal. Universalia are thoughts that come from the divine mind.
In nominalism, the existence of general concepts is notwas allowed. Universalia 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.
