Logical Studies

Extending Zalta's Logic to Abstract Ordinary Object

Document Type : Research

Authors

MohammadHadi Soleimani 1
Davood Hosseini 2

1 PhD student, Department of Philosophy and Logic, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Logic, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

10.30465/lsj.2024.48428.1464
Abstract
Abstract According to Zalta's Neo-Meinongean object theory, objects are either ordinary or abstract. Ordinary objects, though abstract, exemplify - rather than encode - their properties. However, it seems that objects such as mythical objects violate this inclusive and exclusive categorization. Mythological approaches claim that mythical entities have an actual existence and can be realized in distinct fictional and concrete objects. This cannot be explained by Zalta's logic. However, it can be explained by adding the class of ordinary abstract objects, which on the one hand exemplify the properties and on the other hand necessarily have these properties. This modification can explain how fictional objects can realize mythical objects. Furthermore, applying the distinction of the nature of ordinary abstract object from concrete ordinary object to Zalta's logic explains how a concrete object can be the realization of a mythical one. Thus, this extended logic, with the corresponding changes in the syntax and semantics of Zalta's logic, is able to formalize mythological findings.

Keywords

Zalta's Logic
Zalta's Object Theory
Mythical Objects
Abstract Ordinary objects

Subjects

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