Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that Philosophers including Kant and more recently Peter van Inwagen argue that existence is not a genuine predicate or perfection, undermining the coherence of 'necessary existence' as a concept.

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Existence differs crucially from predicates like 'red': it's a second-order property about instantiation itself, not a first-order quality.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Some entities (abstract objects, numbers) plausibly possess necessary existence, making the concept coherent even if not a simple predicate.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.The claim 'existence is not a predicate' itself seems to make a metaphysical claim about existence—potentially undermining its own coherence.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Existence adds nothing to a concept's intension; all predicates presuppose something already exists to instantiate them.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Saying 'necessary existence' conflates logical necessity (analytic truths) with metaphysical facts about what is instantiated.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.We don't enhance a description by adding 'exists'; we merely assert an instance satisfies that description somewhere.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.