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Single Idea 14594
[filed under theme 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 1. Ontologies
]
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 Ref
'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.
The
15 ideas
with the same theme
[nature of our theories about fundamental reality]:
22979
|
Three main questions seem to be whether a thing is, what it is, and what sort it is
[Augustine]
|
13933
|
Existence questions are 'internal' (within a framework) or 'external' (concerning the whole framework)
[Carnap]
|
6523
|
Positivists regard ontology as either meaningless or stipulated
[Ayer, by Robinson,H]
|
12210
|
Quine's ontology is wrong; his question is scientific, and his answer is partly philosophical
[Fine,K on Quine]
|
12320
|
Ontology is (and always has been) Cantorian mathematics
[Badiou]
|
7679
|
Ontology is the same as the conceptual foundations of logic
[Jacquette]
|
12217
|
For ontology we need, not internal or external views, but a view from outside reality
[Fine,K]
|
14594
|
Ontologists seek existence and identity conditions, and modal and epistemic status for a thing
[Swoyer]
|
3517
|
'Ontology' means 'study of things which exist'
[Maslin]
|
4474
|
Existence theories must match experience, possibility, logic and knowledge, and not be self-defeating
[Moreland]
|
13925
|
Ontology disputes rest on more basic explanation disputes
[Haslanger]
|
23768
|
A metaphysic is a set of wider explanations derived from a basic ontology
[Williams,NE]
|
23773
|
Humeans say properties are passive, possibility is vast, laws are descriptions, causation is weak
[Williams,NE]
|
23779
|
We shouldn't posit the existence of anything we have a word for
[Williams,NE]
|
23786
|
The status quo is part of what exists, and so needs metaphysical explanation
[Williams,NE]
|