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IX
THE PROBLEM OF UNIVERSAL
The problem of universal is the epistemological problem as existence of universals is required not only ontologically to explain the nature of reality but also to explain the nature of our experience of the reals. That in some sense or other, there are universals, is recognized by almost all philosophers. However, difficulties arise when we try to be more precise. With regard to the question of nature and status of universals, there is wide disagreement. Semantically, the problem of universal is the problem of relation between general words and their referends. Universals are indicated in language by abstract names and they are generally contrasted with particulars. The objects of experience have certain general features and what is involved in the generality and in our experience of it, is a matter of dispute.
Different theories of universals give different accounts of the 'generality' which is 'universal' the class-essence. The main views regarding the problem of universal are-realism, conceptualism, nominalism and resemblance theory.
For the realist, universals exist in themselves. They
