The ontology of collective entities

Authors

Keywords:

collective entity, nominalism, realism, methodological individualism, holism, system, substance

Abstract

The article is devoted to the controversial issue of ontology of collective entities in sociology, political philosophy and methodology of humanities. The article represents opinions of modern nominalists denying the existence of collective entities and realists emphasizing their existential status and demanding to reform monistic ontology of modern philosophy. The article analyzes the realistic theory of collective entities represented by a French philosopher and sociologist Philippe Urfalino who offered some classification criteria for identification collective entities that differ from principles of individuation physical and abstract objects. The scientist defines collective entities as collective agents but not as substances and employs principles of philosophy of action to study them. The article demonstrates a great contribution made by P. Urfalino into development of pluralistic ontology and realization of its principles while studying certain types of collective entities.

Author Biography

Oksana Yosypenko, H.S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy, NAS of Ukraine

Doctor of sciences in philosophy, senior research fellow, Department of History of Foreign Philosophy. Academic in terests: phylosophy of language, social philosophy, contemporary western philosophy.

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Published

2017-11-22

How to Cite

Yosypenko, O. (2017). The ontology of collective entities. Filosofska Dumka, (1), 92–107. Retrieved from https://dumka.philosophy.ua/index.php/fd/article/view/268

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