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Creating abstract objects

2021; Wiley; Volume: 16; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/phc3.12783

1747-9991

David Friedell,

Philosophy and History of Science

Abstract Beach's Gaelic Symphony is plausibly an abstract object that Beach created. The view that people create some abstract objects is called abstract creationism. There are abstract creationists about many kinds of objects, including musical works, fictional characters, arguments, words, internet memes, installation artworks, bitcoins, and restaurants. Alternative theories include materialism and Platonism. This paper discusses some of the most serious objections against abstract creationism. Arguably, these objections have ramifications for questions in metaphysics pertaining to the abstract/concrete distinction, time, causation, vague existence, vague identity, and inadvertent creation.