On Individual Essence

Abstract

This article deals with the problem of individual essence by appealing to Zubiri’s ontology, in which individuation is not only understood as mere singularity, like in classical philosophy, but as “diversity”. Zubiri’s theory is completed by introducing a new sense of individuality proper to humankind: individuality as “unrepeatability”. In order to account for this strong individuality, I use Scheler’s theory, which insists on the unrepeatability of the human “spirit”, and holds that the individual essence of the person depends on a spiritual character (ethos), and on an ordo amoris. Finally, in controversy with Scheler, I suggest that what provides individuality as unrepeatability is liberty.