Universals and the Realism of Forms

According to Gracia (1988:164) the bases of Gilbert’s doctrine of universals are constituted by two postulates: the singularity of everything, whether forms or subsis-tents; and the individuality of the complete forms of sub-sistents, and of subsistents themselves, which are not parts of any composite. In addition to these, there is the similarity (similitudo) or conformity (conformitas) between singular entitites, whether both subsistences and subsis-tents. Indeed, even though the latter are individuals and thus different from every other being, they are, nevertheless, similar to different groups of other individuals if their formal determinations are considered separately (Socrates is similar to Plato and to Cicero if one considers their respective whiteness, rationality, etc.). According to Van Elswijk (1966:200), the similarity between groups of beings seems to be a third postulate of Gilbert’s ontology. But Maioli (1974:326-328, 1979:344-347) maintains that, for Gilbert, the conformitas is to be explained by the derivation of native forms from exemplary ideas. Whatever the case, the universal (genus or species) is a collection (collectio) of a multiplicity of forms that are, in themselves, singular. It is constituted by the intellect on the basis of similarities apprehended between groups of singular entities. According to Gilbert - who in this respect can be placed beside Abelard - the unity of a species, like that of a genus, does not correspond to any common nature but is the product of abstraction ('humana ratio abstrahit”) and language (''dicuntur unum et idem’’). At the level of reality only singular beings exist, some of which are also individuals, which are grouped into those similar to each other (Maioli 1979:341-364; Valente 2008b). Inasmuch as subsistences are formal constituents of particular subsistents, one can speak of a “realism of forms’’ in Gilbert (Jolivet 1992b). However, one certainly cannot speak of a realism of uni-versals, even though his theory seems to postulate a foundation in re of the universal, consisting in the similitudo or conformitas of individuals belonging to a group according to the consuetudo rerum.