Meaning: The quote you provided is from Fredric Jameson, a prominent literary and cultural critic known for his influential work in Marxist literary theory and postmodernism. In this quote, Jameson reflects on the process of naming and classification in the contemporary universe. He suggests that in our current world, there is an ongoing effort to name and label everything, and he distinguishes this process from the traditional Aristotelian concept of universals.

Jameson's observation about the gradual naming of everything in the current universe reflects a broader concern with the ways in which language and representation shape our understanding of the world. The act of naming, or the assignment of labels and categories to objects and concepts, is a fundamental aspect of human cognition and communication. From a linguistic and philosophical perspective, naming is linked to the process of signification and the construction of meaning.

The notion that "everything is slowly being named" can be interpreted in several ways. On one level, it may refer to the proliferation of new terms and categories in various fields of knowledge, from the sciences to the social sciences to the humanities. As our understanding of the world evolves and new phenomena come into focus, there is a continuous need to develop vocabulary and frameworks for describing and analyzing these phenomena.

Furthermore, Jameson's comment can be understood in the context of cultural and social dynamics. The act of naming can be seen as an exercise of power, as it involves the imposition of certain meanings and interpretations on the objects or concepts being named. In this sense, the process of naming reflects the larger struggles over representation and discourse in society, with different groups vying for the authority to define and categorize the world around them.

Jameson's reference to the "older Aristotelian universals" underscores his effort to distinguish the contemporary naming process from traditional philosophical conceptions of universals. In Aristotelian philosophy, universals are abstract, general concepts that are thought to exist independently of individual instances. For example, the universal concept of "chair" encompasses all particular chairs in the world. Jameson seems to suggest that the contemporary process of naming is not concerned with universals in this sense, but rather with the specific and particular ways in which things are identified and labeled in the world.

In the context of postmodernism, Jameson's observation about the naming of everything can be related to the idea of hyperreality and the proliferation of signs and symbols in contemporary culture. Postmodern theorists have argued that the distinction between reality and representation has become increasingly blurred in the era of mass media and consumer capitalism. The relentless naming and labeling of everything can be seen as part of this larger cultural logic, where the production and circulation of signs and images shape our experiences of the world.

In conclusion, Fredric Jameson's quote about the gradual naming of everything in the current universe offers a thought-provoking reflection on the role of language, representation, and power in shaping our understanding of the world. His observation invites critical inquiry into the cultural, philosophical, and political dimensions of the naming process and its implications for our contemporary condition.