Single Idea 12226

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / a. Ontological commitment]

Full Idea

Identity is sometimes read so that 'Pegasus is Pegasus' expresses a truth, the non-existence of any winged horse notwithstanding.

Clarification

Pegasus is a mythical winged horse

Gist of Idea

The identity of Pegasus with Pegasus may be true, despite the non-existence

Source

B Hale / C Wright (The Metaontology of Abstraction [2009], §5)

Book Reference

'Metametaphysics', ed/tr. Chalmers/Manley/Wasserman [OUP 2009], p.187


A Reaction

This would give you ontological commitment to truth, without commitment to existence. It undercuts the use of identity statements as the basis of existence claims, which was Frege's strategy.