Does essentialism require necessary and sufficient conditions?

"When philosophers speak of essentialism, they are asking what it is for something to be what it is, rather than something else. This can sound abstract, but the question quickly becomes concrete once we ask how essences are supposed to be identified. One familiar method in philosophy is to define things by necessary and sufficient conditions: features a thing must have, and features that, taken together, guarantee its being that thing. The question, then, is whether essentialism is committed to this definitional framework, or whether it can make sense of essences without reducing them to such conditions."

Each of us has his or her own philosophical history and journey, and during these walks, we introduce each other to our recent questions and reflections. There is no assigned reading, no required text. Bring your own recommendations, or see what has been recommended by others before. In this dropbox folder you'll find texts and videos that have been discussed on previous occasions. You'll also find a list of recommended texts, if you are new to philosophy.

We gather at Flywheel Coffee, near Stanyan and Page. At exactly 11:15am, we'll be just outside the front door, and begin a hike through Golden Gate Park, returning to Flywheel by 1:00pm. During the walk, we'll discuss your philosophical topics, whatever they may be. If it looks like it'll rain, we'll dip into a restaurant instead.