Matthew Davidson has written an accessible, clear, engaging introduction to problems concerning existence and necessity, defending a distinctive view, what he labels <i>Independence Actualism</i>, and contrasts the view with the Meinongian view that reality includes entities that do not exist. This monograph is an excellent opinionated tour through the terrain of issues on existence and necessity.
Michael Nelson, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of California at Riverside, USA
Are there nonexistent objects? Can we make sense of objects having properties without thinking that there are nonexistent objects? Is existence a predicate? Can we make sense of necessarily existing objects depending on God? Tackling these central questions, Matthew Davidson explores the metaphysics of existence and nonexistence.
He presents an extended argument for independence actualism, a previously undefended view that objects can have properties in worlds and at times at which they do not exist. Among other unique points of discussion, Davidson considers the nature of actualism, arguments for and against serious actualism, the semantics of “exists” as a predicate, the merits of different sorts of Meinongian theories, and different views on which God might ground the existence of necessarily existing abstracta. The book offers a Lewisian-style argument for adopting independence actualism in that the view may be used to solve many problems in metaphysics, philosophy of language and philosophy of religion.
Les mer
Preface
1. Independence Actualism Explicated
2. The Independence Thesis
3. The Utility of Independence Actualism
4. Actualism or Meinongianism?
5. “Exists” as a Predicate
6. Existence and Essence
7. Robust and Deflationary Meinongianism
8. God and Necessary Existence
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Les mer
Explores the metaphysics of existence and nonexistence through the lens of independence actualism.
Presents a current survey of the material on the metaphysics of existence and nonexistence
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781350344877
Publisert
2024-09-19
Utgiver
Vendor
Bloomsbury Academic
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
192
Forfatter