This work considers the program of reduction of universals by classes of resembling tropes. Several questions appear concerning the relation of resemblance: (1) Does not the "respects" for resemblance presuppose a universal? (2) Does not the fact that the relation of resemblance is a relation induce a vicious regress? (3) If there are different respects of comparison between tropes, then there is space for the traditional difficulties against resemblance nominalism: the "imperfect community" and the "companionship" difficulties. Can these problems be handled by classes of tropes? (4) The relation of resemblance required is "perfect resemblance", that is, a relation of resemblance transitive, with no margin for degrees, and with no variation in the respects of comparison between tropes. Are there any perfect resembling tropes? After consideration, it appears that the defender of tropes seems to have answers for the questions (1), (2) and (3), but it seems that there are no plausible answers for the question (4). The classes of exact resemblance that are going to replace the universals should be classes of possible tropes and there are no reasonable ways of explaining the modal facts required for these tropes.
Properties; Universals; Tropes; Resemblance Classes; Possible Tropes
