Does existence have to exist?

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14 Apr 2013, 2:01 am

How many mathematical logicians does it take to change a light bulb?

Two.

One to prove that the first order predicate logic of light bulbs is complete.

One to prove that there exists a proof that there exists a proof that the light bulb can be changed.

FMX
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14 Apr 2013, 3:15 am

If you want a serious answer, I'd have to say "yes". For there to even be a concept of "existence" something has to exist - and that's existence. Therefore if the concept of existence exists then so does existence itself.

ModusPonens
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14 Apr 2013, 4:08 am

marshall wrote:

How many mathematicians does it take to change a light bulb?

Three.

One to prove that a light bulb in need of changing exists.

One to prove that given any light bulb in need of changing, there must exist a replacement bulb.

One to prove that such a replacement bulb is unique.

You forgot the one to prove that "changing" is well defined. :lol:

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14 Apr 2013, 4:16 am

In a more serious tone, there's a theorem in modal logic which is A->[]A (the necessitation rule) . If A is the sentence "the universe exists", What this theorem is saying is that If the universe exists, it is necessary that this universe exists. Since we know that A is true, by Modus Ponens ( ), we conclude that it is necessary that the universe exists.

Last edited by ModusPonens on 14 Apr 2013, 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

naturalplastic
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14 Apr 2013, 8:04 am

marshall wrote:

Fnord wrote:

How many existentialists does it take to change a light bulb?

Four:

One to change the bulb.

One to not change the bulb.

One to change and not change the bulb.

On to neither change nor not change the bulb.

Actually I'd say it takes 4.

One to ask whether the existence of the lighbulb precedes it's essense.

One to contemplate whether man is really free choose whether to change the light bulb or not change the light bulb.

One to contemplate if man is free to change the light bulb is he responsible to change it?

One to ask what is the meaning of changing the light bulb.

.....

oops, it still hasn't been changed.

The first is more Platonic than Existential, but the rest I agree with.

In contrast "how many nihilists does it take to change a lightbulb?"

A) Doesnt matter how many, because they wont. Because there is no point in changing the lightbulb.

And (Q) "How many Solipsists does it take to change a light bulb?"

(A) Again they wont change it-because there is no way of knowing whether the light bulb really exists in the first place.

Fnord
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14 Apr 2013, 8:22 am

^ Even better!

:lol:

ruveyn
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14 Apr 2013, 10:59 am

Is the statement: "There is no existence" true or false?

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14 Apr 2013, 11:26 am

To be or not to be.

Good question.

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14 Apr 2013, 12:01 pm

Not really but it does because its bored with itself!

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marshall
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14 Apr 2013, 12:50 pm

ModusPonens wrote:

marshall wrote:

You forgot the one to prove that "changing" is well defined. :lol:

That was proved as a lemma in a previous chapter. :lmao:

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14 Apr 2013, 1:16 pm

ruveyn wrote:

Is the statement: "There is no existence" true or false?

Intuitionist logic rejects the law of the excluded middle so it's possible that statement is simply indeterminate.

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14 Apr 2013, 9:20 pm

marshall wrote:

ruveyn wrote:

Is the statement: "There is no existence" true or false?

Intuitionist logic rejects the law of the excluded middle so it's possible that statement is simply indeterminate.

Saying the opposite: "existence exists" is not only true it is a tautology. So the opposite must be false.

"there is no existence" is false because existence is in existence- in the usual frame of reference. Even silopsist would have to admit that his own self and senses "exist"- if nothing else. So there is still that little bit of existence that exists.

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14 Apr 2013, 11:55 pm

Of course.

Descartes closed the book on this topic centuries ago.

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