Now I think you're playing with me. Anyway, below is an excerpt from a more reputable philosophy resource:

To be red (or even to be an apple) it must already exist, as only existing things instantiate properties. (This principle—that existence is conceptually prior to predication—is rejected by Meinongians.)
— Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosiphy (SEP)

As only existing things instantiate properties translates as:

1. If properties are instantiated then something exists that instantiates those properties

What does "properties are instantiated" entail other than detectability through senses/instruments?

In other words, existence is based off of detectability. No detectability, no existence. — TheMadFool

Okay. Wow!

Very complicated way of answering my question to you.

You could just as easily said...YES.

Of course I disagree. There are fundamental flaws with that "definition" that I am sure you can see.

"Detectable through senses/instruments!"

But, since your answer to my question reduces to YES...I guess you mean HUMAN senses and HUMAN instruments.

Things that can be detected by non-humans (if such being exist) or detected by non-human instruments...do not exist?

To me that not only sounds unscientific...it also sounds profoundly unphilosophiical.

Thanks :up:

It looks to me like we're basically saying the same thing in different ways

the foundation of semantics is ostensive definitions i.e. all definitions can be traced back to a set of objects or a set phenomena that can be perceived directly. — TheMadFool

perhaps the way out of the definitional loop is somehow to point to reality — EricH

Ostensive definition
Hah! Was not familiar with that term. Hope I can remember that if I ever need it. :smile:

:up: What I say must be taken with a grain of salt.