Upwards essence

Abstract According to an influential view in the debate on grounding and essence, there cannot be any cases of ‘upwards essence’, i.e., cases in which a grounding connection flows from the essence of the grounding truth or constituents of it. To use the Finean (2012a) slogan, “it is the fact to be grounded that ‘points’ to its grounds and not the grounds that point to what they may ground”. This paper argues to the contrary. Far from being outright incoherent, potential cases of upwards essence abound. The arguments that have been raised against upwards essence or naturally come to mind turn out to be wanting on closer examination. And we can even derive the existence of certain cases of upwards essence from fairly innocuous general principles.