Abstract

The difference between Suarez and Scotus's ideas of "denomination" has given rise to the development of two different theories: 1) the theory of the dependence of actual universals on man's mind; and 2) Scotus's nominalist theory.The examination of such accidental and essential views of denomination reveals that, according to Suarez, the denomination of universal natures is of the accidental type, and the result of the referential similarity which is based on the causal relation between the existing objective truth and the actual universal in the mind. He also rejects the essential denomination of univresals. Accordingly, the universal concept is the product of a process of mental abstraction; moreover, there is a kind of real similarity among the individuals of the same kind which is the basis of common nature and quiddity. However, the distinctions among external natures are of the type of real and objective affairs. Nevertheless, the genetic psychology of universal concepts considers the theories of Suarez and Scotus on universals as being quite similar to each other.