What does the concept of moderate realism imply about essences?

The concept of moderate realism asserts that essences, or the true natures of things, have a foundation in the particulars themselves. This means that while individual objects and instances exhibit specific characteristics, they also embody universal qualities that can be understood as their essence. In moderate realism, essences are not merely abstract ideas or constructs that exist within the mind or are disconnected from the objects themselves. Instead, they are seen as inherent properties within those particular things, providing a bridge between universal concepts and individual instances.

This perspective contrasts with more extreme forms of realism, which may claim that essences exist independently of particulars, or with idealism, which suggests that essences are solely mental constructs. By positioning essences as residing within particulars, moderate realism acknowledges the importance of both the physical and the abstract in our understanding of objects and their qualities.