The Philosophy of Existence "What really exists?" This chapter explores the concept of ontology and ordinary objects. It questions whether things like chairs are real or just a product of our perception.
"Made Of" vs "Being" "Are things truly made up of something?" This chapter delves into the relationship between constitution and composition, discussing how objects can be made up of smaller parts while still being distinct entities.
Existence and Reality This chapter examines different philosophical perspectives on existence. It discusses properties, concepts such as islands and incars, trogs (objects composed by two separate elements), mereology (the study of parts and wholes), organicism (belief in living organisms) versus nihilism (denial that anything composes), deflationism as a way to reconcile differing views on reality.
The Illusion of Composites Believing in chairs is like believing in a magical substance called boil-o that comes out of the stove and warms water at the same time as the flame. Chairs are not more real than boil-o. Composites over-determine what happens in the world and lead to over-counting.
"Chair" or Not? 'Sorites sequences' demonstrate that removing tiny parts from a chair does not annihilate it, but enough removals will eventually leave no chair at all. Defining boundaries precisely for what makes something a chair is arbitrary unless there's an explanation for why one boundary should be chosen over another.
Problems with Composite Objects Vagueness arises when defining ordinary objects due to context-dependent terms. The problem of many suggests that if even removing atoms still leaves us with a chair, how many chairs are actually present? The Ship of Theseus paradox questions whether replacing every part of an object results in owning two different objects or none at all.
The Ontological Innocence of Chairs "To rescue chairs from non-existence, we need to find a way to show that a chair is independent of its atoms but not impossibly over-and-above them. Amie Thomasson argues that the empty fridge example demonstrates how our use of language and application conditions determine what we consider as 'things'. The existence of chairs depends on the application conditions used."
Defining Objects and Vagueness "Thomasson suggests that vagueness comes from our minds and language, rather than being inherent in objects themselves. We have the power to stipulate what constitutes an object or a chair based on our own criteria. Additionally, she challenges the notion that physical objects are made up solely of matter by highlighting how properties play a role in defining things."
Being Hosted by Matter "According to Thomasson's perspective, objects like chairs are disturbances or preformations within matter rather than being composed entirely out of atoms. She emphasizes that there is no singular entity representing ourselves; instead, we exist as manifestations within the universe itself."