The Existence Principle
When we ask whether something exists, we expect a yes or no answer, not a further query about what kind of existence, how much of it, whether we mean existence for you or existence for me, or whether we are asking about some property which it might have.
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PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES SERIES VOLUME 75
Founded by Wilfrid S. Sellars and Keith Lehrer
Editor
Keith Lehrer, University ofArizona, Tucson Associate Editor
Stewart Cohen, Arizona State University, Tempe Board of Consulting Editors
Lynne Rudder Baker, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Radu Bogdan, Tulane University, New Orleans Allan Gibbard, University of Michigan Denise Meyerson, University of Cape Town Fran~ois Recanati, Ecole Poly technique, Paris
Stuart Silvers, Clemson University Nicholas D. Smith, Michigan State University
The titles published in this series are listed at the end of this volume.
THE EXISTENCE PRINCIPLE QUENTIN GIBSON Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
A c.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-94-010-6127-8 ISBN 978-94-011-5066-8 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5066-8
Printed on acid-free paper
AII Rights Reserved © 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1998 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1998 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, inc1uding photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
VII
1 2 4 8
l.
The Concept of Existence Uses ofthe word 'exist' The elementary concept of existence The existence principle
2.
The Defense of the Existence Principle The appeal to misunderstanding The appeal to logic The appeal to unacceptable consequences
16 16 20 24
3.
Realism and the Existence Principle Knowledge-dependent existence Knowledge-dependence and the law of excluded middle Degrees of existence The path to relativism Scepticism and knowledge-dependence
29 30
4.
Appearance and Intentionality Appearances Saving the appearances Intentionality Non-existent objects Other solutions?
52 53 58 65 67 71
5.
Perspectives and Partial Truths Perspectives and space A misleading metaphor Perspectives and grades of existence-partial truths
75 76 78 82
v
37 42 43 47
THE EXISTENCE PRINCIPLE
VI
Better perspectives and wider perspectives Perspectives and relativism
86 88
6.
The Law of Excluded Middle Presuppositions and limits Shadows and appearances Indeterminate objects Ways of avoiding indeterminacy (a) Phenomenal objects (b) Vague objects (c) Microphysical objects
92 95 98 101 105 105 106 108
7.
Time and Existence Time-independent and time-dependent existence Indeterminacy of the future Tensed existence Temporal perspectives
113 113 118 121 126
8.
Universals and Properties The existence of universals (a) Kinds of existence-Platonism (b) Dependent existence-Aristotelianism The existence of properties Existence and mutual dependence Relations and events
133 133 134 138 140 144 151
9.
Necessary and Possible Existence Necessity as a relation Further elucidation of necessity
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