Non-Existence: The Nuclear Option

Abstract

This article concerns the work of the prime movers of the Neo-Meinongian “revival,” Terry Parsons and Richard Routley, and specifically their solution to the issue of how to formulate the Characterisation Principle (a thing that is so and so, is so and so). Both adopted variations of the nuclear/non-nuclear (characterising/non-characterising) strategy. This article discusses their implementations of the strategy and its problems.

Keywords

• terry parsons
• richard routley (sylvan)
• graham priest
• non-existent objects
• medieval logic
• nuclear (characterising) properties
• characterisation principle