Noneism
Encyclopedia
Noneism is a theory in logic
and metaphysics
first coined by Richard Routley and appropriated again in 2005 by Graham Priest
. It holds that there are some things that do not exist. That is, we can quantify over non-existent things using the particular quantifier (also known —misleadingly in the view of noneists— as the existential quantifier). Noneism provides one way to speak meaningfully about nonexistent objects.
While Priest also espouses dialetheism
, he maintains that his dialethiesm is mostly capable of being separated out from his noneism. The connection is that impossible objects may exist in impossible worlds, much as nonexistent objects may exist in possible (but not actual) worlds.
Routley's book, Exploring Meinong's Jungle and Beyond: An Investigation of Noneism and the Theory of Items, was published in 1980, while Priest's 2005 book is entitled Towards Nonbeing: The Logic and Metaphysics of Intentionality.
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
and metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
first coined by Richard Routley and appropriated again in 2005 by Graham Priest
Graham Priest
Graham Priest is Boyce Gibson Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center, as well as a regular visitor at St. Andrews University. Priest is a fellow in residence at Ormond College. He was educated at the University...
. It holds that there are some things that do not exist. That is, we can quantify over non-existent things using the particular quantifier (also known —misleadingly in the view of noneists— as the existential quantifier). Noneism provides one way to speak meaningfully about nonexistent objects.
While Priest also espouses dialetheism
Dialetheism
Dialetheism is the view that some statements can be both true and false simultaneously. More precisely, it is the belief that there can be a true statement whose negation is also true...
, he maintains that his dialethiesm is mostly capable of being separated out from his noneism. The connection is that impossible objects may exist in impossible worlds, much as nonexistent objects may exist in possible (but not actual) worlds.
Routley's book, Exploring Meinong's Jungle and Beyond: An Investigation of Noneism and the Theory of Items, was published in 1980, while Priest's 2005 book is entitled Towards Nonbeing: The Logic and Metaphysics of Intentionality.
Related topics
- Possible worldPossible worldIn philosophy and logic, the concept of a possible world is used to express modal claims. The concept of possible worlds is common in contemporary philosophical discourse and has also been disputed.- Possibility, necessity, and contingency :...
- Meinong's jungleMeinong's jungleMeinong's jungle is the name given to the repository of non-existent entities in the ontology of Alexius Meinong.Meinong, an Austrian philosopher active at the turn of the 20th century, believed that since non-existent things could apparently be referred to, they must have some sort of being, which...
- Round square copulaRound square copulaThe "Round square copula" is a common example of the Dual Copula Strategy used in reference to the problem of nonexistent objects as well as their relation to problems in modern Philosophy of language...