Abstract Objects in a Metaphysical Perspective

Aleksandr Kulieshov

Abstract

The article presents an unconventional although not absolutely unprecedented view on abstract objects defending the position of metaphysical realism. It is argued that abstract objects taken in purely ontological sense are the forms of objects. The forms possess some common characteristics of abstract objects, they can exist not in physical space and time and play a grounding role in their relation to concrete objects. It is stated that commonly discussed abstract objects – properties, kinds, mathematical objects – are forms.

10.22178/pos.31-1


Keywords


Metaphysics; abstract objects; metaphysical realism; nominalism; forms; spatio-temporal characteristics; grounding

Full Text:

PDF


References


1. Cowling, S. (2013). The Way of Actuality. Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 92(2), 231–247.

[Google Scholar] [CrossRef]

2. Cowling, S. (2017). Abstract Entities. London; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

3. Craig, W. L. (2017). God and Abstract Objects: The Coherence of Theism: Aseity. Cham: Springer.

[Google Scholar]

4. Dorr, C. (2008). There are no abstract objects. In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne, & D. W. Zimmerman (Eds.), Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics (pp. 32–64). Oxford: Blackwell.

[Google Scholar]

5. Duke, G. (2013). Dummett and the problem of abstract objects. Teorema, 32(1), 61–75.

[Google Scholar]

6. Eklund, M. (2008). The picture of reality as an amorphous lump. In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne, & D. W. Zimmerman (Eds.), Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics (pp. 382–396). Oxford: Blackwell.

[Google Scholar]

7. Filomeno, A. (2016). Abstract Entities in a Presentist World. Metaphysica, 17(2).

[Google Scholar] [CrossRef]

8. Heck, R. (2011). Frege's Theorem. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

[Google Scholar]

9. Imaguire, G. (2015). The Platonism vs. Nominalism Debate from a Meta-metaphysical Perspective. Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia, 71(2-3), 375–398.

[Google Scholar] [CrossRef]

10. Klausen, S. H. (2013). Approaching the abstract: Building blocks for an epistemology of abstract objects. Semiotica, 2013(194).

[Google Scholar] [CrossRef]

11. MacBride, F. (2009). Universals: the contemporary debate. In R. Le Poidevin (Ed.), The Routledge Companion to Metaphysics (pp. 276–285). London: Routledge.

[Google Scholar]

12. Moreland, J. P. (2014). Universals. Abingdon: Routledge.

[Google Scholar]

13. Rosen, G. (1993). The refutation of nominalism. Philosophy of Logic, 21(2), 149–186.

[Google Scholar]

14. Szabó, Z. G. (2005). Nominalism. In M. J. Loux, & D. Zimmerman (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics (pp. 11–45). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[Google Scholar]

15. van Inwagen, P. (2004). A Theory of Properties. In D. W. Zimmerman (Ed.), Oxford Studies in Metaphysics. Vol. 1 (pp. 107–138). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[Google Scholar]


Article Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Metrics powered by PLOS ALM

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Copyright (c) 2018 Aleksandr Kulieshov

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.