Full Idea
Four things philosophers often want to know about a given sort of entity are: its existence conditions, its identity conditions, its modal status, and its epistemic status.
Gist of Idea
Ontologists seek existence and identity conditions, and modal and epistemic status for a thing
Source
Chris Swoyer (Abstract Entities [2008], 3)
Book Reference
'Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics', ed/tr. Sider/Hawthorne/Zimmerman [Blackwell 2008], p.22
A Reaction
I prefer 'modal profile' to 'modal status'. The 'existence conditions' sound rather epistemic. Why does the existence of anything require 'conditions' other than just existing? I suspect identity is irrelevant if humans aren't around.