abstract particular

philosophy

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July 19, 2026

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In philosophy, "abstract particulars" refer to entities that are particular in nature but lack concrete, physical attributes. They are not located in space or time, unlike concrete objects or events. An example is a specific instance of "redness" or "roundness" that is not itself colored or shaped, but rather represents the quality of redness or roundness.1234

These abstract particulars are distinct from universals, which are general properties or qualities that can be shared by multiple concrete objects. While universals are abstract in the sense of being general, abstract particulars are particular instances of abstract qualities. The concept is essential for higher cognitive functions like judgment and learning.451

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Trope nominalism
Such tropes are “abstract particulars”: the shape trope, for example, is not coloured (it has no colour trope as a part), so one notices it by looking at the disk and “abstracting away” the colour. But the shape trope is still a particular in the sense that it…
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Such tropes are “abstract particulars”: the shape trope, for example, is not coloured (it has no colour trope as a part), so one notices it by looking at the disk and “abstracting away” the colour. But the shape trope is still a particular in the sense that it…
Read More