Existence
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| + | [[Image:Plato and Aristotle in The School of Athens painting by Raphael.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Plato]] (left) and [[Aristotle]] (right), a detail of ''[[The School of Athens]]'', a fresco by [[Raphael]]. Aristotle gestures to the [[earth]], representing his belief in knowledge through empirical observation and experience, while holding a copy of his ''[[Nicomachean Ethics]]'' in his hand. Plato holds his ''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]'' and points his [[index finger]] to the [[heaven]]s, representing his belief in [[The Forms]]]] | ||
| + | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" | ||
| + | | style="text-align: left;" |"The [[mind]] of man can [[imagination|imagine]] nothing which has not really [[Existence|existed]] [[The mind of man can imagine nothing which has not really existed|[...]]]." --[[Edgar Allan Poe]] | ||
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| + | [[Image:The Heart Has Its Reasons by Odilon Redon.jpg |thumb|right|200px|[[The Heart Has Its Reasons]] (c.[[1887]]) by [[Odilon Redon]], a phrase from the ''[[Pensées]]'' by [[Blaise Pascal]]]] | ||
| + | [[Image:L'Absinthe (1876) - Edgar Degas.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[L'Absinthe]]'' ([[1876]]) - [[Edgar Degas]]]] | ||
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| - | '''Existence''' is the property of being; that which is in the category of '''what is'''. In everyday usage, '''existence''' consists of growing up, getting married, raising a family, work, and play. But many people have wondered if there is not more to existence than this, and philosophers have asked deep questions about the nature of existence. | + | |
| + | '''Existence''' has been variously [[definition|defined]] by [[source text|source]]s. In common usage, it is the [[world]] one is [[awareness|aware]] or [[consciousness|conscious]] of through one's [[sense]]s, and that [[persistence|persists]] independently in one's absence. Other definitions describe it as everything that '[[Copula (linguistics)|is]]', or more simply, [[everything]]. Some define it to be everything that most people [[belief|believe]] in. [[Aristotle]] relates the concept to [[causality]]. | ||
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| + | [[Ontology]] is the philosophical study of the nature of [[being]], existence or [[reality]] in general, as well as of the basic [[category of being|categories of being]] and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as [[metaphysics]], ontology deals with questions concerning what [[entities]] exist or can be said to exist (for instance: ''"Does [[UDFj-39546284]] exist?"''), and how such entities can be grouped, related within a [[hierarchy]], and subdivided according to similarities and differences. A lively debate continues about the [[existence of God]]. | ||
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| + | [[Epistemology]] studies [[criteria of truth]], defining "primary truths" inherently accepted in the investigation of knowledge. The first is existence. It is inherent in every analysis. Its [[self-evidence|self-evident]], [[A priori and a posteriori|a priori]] nature cannot be consistently doubted, since a person objecting to existence according to some standard of proof must implicitly accept the standard's existence as a premise. | ||
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| + | [[Materialism]] holds that the only thing that exists is [[matter]], that all things are composed of material, and all phenomena (including [[consciousness]]) are the result of material interactions. | ||
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| + | [[Life]] is a characteristic that distinguishes [[Object (philosophy)|object]]s that have self-sustaining [[biological process]]es from those that do not – either because such functions have ceased ([[death]]), or else because they lack such functions and are classified as "[[inanimate|inanimate]]". | ||
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| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| *[[Human condition]] | *[[Human condition]] | ||
| *[[Everyday life]] | *[[Everyday life]] | ||
| *[[Existentialism]] | *[[Existentialism]] | ||
| + | *[[Non-existence]] | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| * [[Being]] | * [[Being]] | ||
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| * [[Right to exist]] | * [[Right to exist]] | ||
| * [[Solipsism]] | * [[Solipsism]] | ||
| - | * [[Three marks of existence]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
| "The mind of man can imagine nothing which has not really existed [...]." --Edgar Allan Poe |
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Existence has been variously defined by sources. In common usage, it is the world one is aware or conscious of through one's senses, and that persists independently in one's absence. Other definitions describe it as everything that 'is', or more simply, everything. Some define it to be everything that most people believe in. Aristotle relates the concept to causality.
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality in general, as well as of the basic categories of being and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist (for instance: "Does UDFj-39546284 exist?"), and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences. A lively debate continues about the existence of God.
Epistemology studies criteria of truth, defining "primary truths" inherently accepted in the investigation of knowledge. The first is existence. It is inherent in every analysis. Its self-evident, a priori nature cannot be consistently doubted, since a person objecting to existence according to some standard of proof must implicitly accept the standard's existence as a premise.
Materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter, that all things are composed of material, and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions.
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have self-sustaining biological processes from those that do not – either because such functions have ceased (death), or else because they lack such functions and are classified as "inanimate".
See also
See also
- Being
- Cogito ergo sum
- Conservation law
- Cosmogony
- Cosmological argument
- Existence precedes essence
- Existence theorem
- Existentialism
- Existential operator
- Gödel's ontological proof
- Gaunilo of Marmoutiers
- Identity and change
- Meaning of life
- Performative contradiction
- Right to exist
- Solipsism
