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To say that a kind is natural, rather than artificial or arbitrary, means, minimally, that it reflects some relevant aspects of the world and not only the interests of, or facts about, the classifiers. The expression “footwear under $100,” for instance, describes an artificial kind reflecting some categorizer’s interest—their budget—and not some relevant feature of the classified objects.

https://iep.utm.edu/nat-kind/

Are constellations "artificial kinds"? They are definitely ways of carving up the world: but does that occur "at the joints"?

If not, then does that mean a constellation depends on subjects in order to exist?

  • A constellation is an example of a form, and form is the product of minds. Without minds, there are no constellations. What we here on earth call a constellation is clearly dependent on facts about our location. – nwr Nov 07 '22 at 21:12
  • @nwr, not only our location in the cosmos, but the orientation of our planet, our visual apparatus, and our experiences of the world. – David Gudeman Nov 07 '22 at 23:10
  • Yes, arranging stars into dippers and bows definitely does not cut nature at the joints, and depends on subjects familiar with what dippers and bows look like. – Conifold Nov 08 '22 at 00:34
  • ha @Conifold how un-pagan of you. –  Nov 09 '22 at 03:43

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