Boethius' Argument Against Universals In the essay “From His Second Commentary on Porphyry’s Isagoge” Boethius discusses the existence of universals.. By proposing two main arguments, he first shows why a view such as that held by Plato (one claiming that universals exist independent of particulars and that a universal exists wholly in each particular at all times) is false. Then he presents his own view of the relationship between universals and particulars which is …showed first 75 words of 613 total…

…showed last 75 words of 613 total…to species and genus to illustrate this concept: distinct individual men give the likeness of humanity. Boethius claims this likeness to be the species. Likewise, the likeness of distinct species (those of a wide range of different animals) make up a genus. In this example, the species and the individual men are analogous to the particulars. The genus then, is analogous to a universal, thus showing that it is from particulars that comes the universals.