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Single Idea 5608

[from 'Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant, in 28. God / B. Proving God / 2. Proofs of Reason / b. Ontological Proof critique ]

Full Idea

Is the proposition "This or that thing exists" an analytic or a synthetic proposition?

Gist of Idea

Is "This thing exists" analytic or synthetic?

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781], B625/A597)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.566


A Reaction

Quine's challenge to the analytic/synthetic distinction (e.g. Idea 1626) may spoil this question, but it seems fine ask whether we are talking about words or facts here. Once this question is asked, the Ontological Argument is in trouble.

Related Idea

Idea 1626 It is troublesome nonsense to split statements into a linguistic and a factual component [Quine]