:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
Essentialism says the category is out there in the thing; nominalism says the category is in our naming. Same table, two stories about where 'table-ness' lives — and the disagreement is about whether the world comes pre-sorted or whether we do the sorting.
Side by side
| Aspect | Essentialism | Nominalism |
|---|---|---|
| Categories live | In things | In language |
| Kinds are | Discovered | Made |
| World is | Pre-sorted | Sorted by us |
| Ancient champion | Aristotle | Later medievals |
What each one means
Essentialism is the view that a thing has certain properties it must have to be what it is, as opposed to properties it merely happens to have. In the social sciences it also names the belief that every member of a group — a race, a sex, a nationality — shares one inherent underlying nature.
Full definition of Essentialism →The contrast above sets out how Nominalism differs from Essentialism on the points that actually matter.