The Term Existence

 

Terms and definitions are crucial for any topic of discussion.

 

The terms and definitions presented within this ontology are generally more practical and coherent than standard terms and definitions, specifically the term “existence”.

 

The terms and definitions presented are operational, they provide practical means of substantiation.

 

Standard definitions of existence are abstract and circular. They provide no means of substantiation.

 

 

Existence is commonly defined as:

 

Existence (noun)

1 The fact or state of existing; being

(American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition ‪https://www.thefreedictionary.com/existence)

 

Existence (noun)

1 the fact or state of existing; being

(Collins English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition ‪https://www.thefreedictionary.com/existence‬)

 

Existence (noun)

1 a : the state or fact of having being especially independently of human consciousness and as contrasted with nonexistence

(Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, ‪https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/existence‬)

 

 

Existence is defined as being.

 

Being is defined as existence:

 

Being (noun)

1 The state or quality of having existence

(American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition ‪https://www.thefreedictionary.com/being‬)

 

Being (noun)

1 the state or fact of existing; existence

(Collins English Dictionary Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition ‪https://www.thefreedictionary.com/being‬)

 

Being (noun)

1 a : the quality or state of having existence

(Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, ‪https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/being‬)

 

 

The standard terms and definitions are circular.

 

Existence is being, being is existence. The terms form a circular loop of abstraction.

 

If existence is being, and being existence, what is being or existence? They are ambiguous abstractions.

 

The ontology presented, however, precisely defines what existence is:

 

 

Existence (n.): Being; that which is perceived or interacted with, at least in part.

 

 

Existence is explicitly defined with a practical, coherent definition.

 

With standard terms existence is ambiguous; existence is being which is existence.

 

With the term provided existence is defined; existence is that which is perceived or interacted with, at least in part.

 

Not only are the standard terms circular and ambiguous, they also fail to provide any substantiation of existence as the terms presented here.

 

With the definitions provided one could point to a tree, or any other thing, and declare existence. The tree would be perceived or interacted with substantiating it as existence.

 

One could see an object, touch a texture, hear a sound, smell a fragrance and easily declare existence. With the standard definitions one would likely be rather perplexed.

 

The dual-nature definition, involving both perception and interaction, frees the philosophy from a purely biological, conscious perspective of perception.

 

The philosophy presented not only offers an accessible, coherent foundational ontology it also offers clearer, more practical definitions of key terms as illustrated here.

 

The standard terms are locked in a vacuous loop of abstraction. They serve to relate some distant ambiguity.

 

The definition of existence provided maintains abstraction while also breaking free of the circularity of standard terms by grounding itself in concrete, real world examples through practical means of substantiation.