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To: thinktwice
Man's nature, however, is not among Linneaus sequence elements because man's nature is an individual characteristic included amongst other individual characteristics such as skin color, sex, intelligence level, etc.
Look at the first two words of the sentence in italics above: "man's nature." If we were discussing an individual characteristic, those first two words would be "Socrates' nature," "Ayn's nature," etc., not "man's nature." "Man's nature" (i.e., human nature) necessarily implies that there is a common nature that is shared universally by all particular men. Universals comprise particulars, not vice versa.
173 posted on 11/06/2002 8:49:12 AM PST by eastsider
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To: eastsider
Man's nature" (i.e., human nature) necessarily implies that there is a common nature that is shared universally by all particular men.

No it doesn't, the word "nature" is "1. the essential characteristic of a thing; quality or qualities that make something what it is; essence 2. inborn character; innate disposition; inherent tendencies of a person"

The quote is from Webster's New World Dictionary, with bold type used to emphasize connections between the word "nature" and individual characteristics ... "of a person".

174 posted on 11/06/2002 9:39:30 AM PST by thinktwice
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