Single Idea 12620

[catalogued under 7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 2. Types of Existence]

Full Idea

People say 'exist' is ambiguous, because of the difference between 'chairs exist' and 'numbers exist'. A reply goes: the difference between the existence of chairs and the existence of numbers is strikingly like the difference between chairs and numbers.

Gist of Idea

If 'exist' is ambiguous in 'chairs and numbers exist', that mirrors the difference between chairs and numbers

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (Concepts:where cogn.science went wrong [1998], Ch.3)

Book Reference

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'Concepts: where cognitive science went wrong' [OUP 1998], p.54


A Reaction

To say 'numbers are objects which exist' is, to me, either a funny use of 'exist' or a funny use of 'object'. I think I will now vote for the latter. Just as 'real number' was a funny use of 'number', but we seem to have got used to it.