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An Evaluation of the Chen Jingyuan Case Based on Core Ideas in Nominalist Philosophy

Nominalism, a foundational position in medieval and modern philosophy, denies the independent reality of universals—abstract entities like “justice,” “order,” or “intent”—treating them as mere names (nomina) or linguistic conveniences without ontological status. Championed by William of Ockham (c. 1287-1347) in his Summa Logicae, it invokes Ockham’s Razor (“entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity”) to favor parsimony: concrete particulars (e.g., specific actions) suffice for explanation, avoiding superfluous reifications. Later echoed in Hobbes and analytic philosophy, nominalism critiques essentialism, viewing concepts as human constructs prone to abuse by power. The Chen Jingyuan case—a doctoral scholar sentenced to 20 months for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” (PRC Criminal Law Article 293) over Twitter forwards—through the nominalist lens, exemplifies the perils of reified abstractions: the judiciary nominalizes “disruption” and “intent” as pseudo-essences, multiplying unnecessary entities to veil arbitrary power, fracturing parsimonious justice into linguistic illusion.

1. Universals as Mere Names: “Disruption” and “Intent” as Reified Fictions

Nominalism insists universals like “justice” or “order” are flatus vocis (mere vocalizations)—useful labels for particulars, not real essences dictating outcomes.

The verdict reifies “disruptive intent”: presuming “high education implies discernment” elevates the name “forward” (particular acts like <100 retweets of Hayek critiques or the “Trump-kneeling Xi” cartoon) to an essential “threat,” multiplying fictions without necessity. Ockham would razor this excess: no particular harm (zero causal chaos, prosecutor’s unverified admission) justifies the universal “disorder”—it’s a nominal smoke screen for 20 months’ penalty. The closed-door trial amplifies the illusion: Chen’s prison letter—parsimoniously labeling “rumors” (art/emotion/reason/fact) via avalanche theory—demythologizes the fiction , yet is silenced (“shut up” directive), enforcing reified names over concrete particulars. Nominalism exposes the abuse: linguistic universals, unmoored from reality, serve power, not truth—selective enforcement (millions unpunished) underscores the name’s arbitrary invocation.

2. Ockham’s Razor and Parsimony: Evidentiary Excess as Unnecessary Multiplication of Entities

Ockham’s Razor demands simplicity: explanations should posit no more entities than necessary, favoring nominal parsimony over realist proliferation.

The “evidence chain” multiplies superfluities: unverified posts and presumed “intent” add needless entities to “explain” non-existent disorder, violating parsimony—no simpler account (e.g., benign inquiry) suffices? The non-oral appeal compounds excess: barring Chen’s taxonomy ignores the razor—avalanche theory parsimoniously unpacks flux without causal fictions. Nominalists would decry this as metaphysical bloat: the prosecutor’s admission confesses entity inflation (unneeded “malice”), yet the sentence persists, as if 20 months’ “justice” demands reified proliferation. This excess risks absurdity: selective voids (unpunished shares) slice the Razor’s edge, revealing nominal truth—particulars like low-impact tweets need no universal “quarrel” to explain harmlessness.

3. Critique of Essentialism: Judicial Power as Nominal Abuse of Linguistic Constructs

Nominalism, contra realism, views power’s danger in essentializing names—treating “law” or “order” as essences justifying coercion.

The judiciary essentializes “picking quarrels”: a nominal construct ballooned into coercive essence, abusing language to veil arbitrariness (“upper-level instructions”). Chen’s letter nominalizes wisely—treating “rumor” as conventional label, not essence—yet suppression enforces the abuse. Ockham, who razor-cut scholastic essences, would see tyrannical nominalism: names as tools for domination, not truth—evidentiary fictions multiply to “justify” the sentence, inverting parsimony into proliferation.

Conclusion: The Nominalist Lens on the Case—Reified Names in a Parsimonious Void

From nominalism’s razor-sharp critique, the Chen Jingyuan case is linguistic excess: fictive universals reify particulars, parsimony yields to proliferation, and nominal abuse veils power. As of October 25, 2025, no retrial or exoneration has occurred; Chen’s account remains dormant, its quiet a nominal simplicity amid fiction. This case cautions: names suffice for truth—multiply, and illusion reigns. As Ockham razored, “Plurality should not be posited without necessity”—may justice heed the cut.