# 1999/4/12

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# Existence vs. Existent #
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1. Rand, IOE, page 18
	"The relationship of concepts to their constituent
	particulars is the same as the relationship of
	algebraic symbols to numbers.  In the equation
	2a = a + a, any number may be substituted for the
	symbol "a" without affecting the truth of the equation.
	... In the same manner, by the same psycho-epistemological
	method, a concept is used as an algebraic symbol that
	stands for any of the arithmetical sequence of units
	it subsumes." 

In my KR language, "concept stands for any one of its units"
is expressed as
	concept is either unit1 or unit2 or ...
which defines a hierarchy of concepts and units.  Here's a
simple example of the same hierarchy in outline format
	kformat = ho
	existent
	/    entity
	//	John
	//	Mary
	//   characteristic
	///	sex
	////	    male
	////	    female
	/    relation
	//	[John has sex=male]
	//	[Mary has sex=female]
and in knit statement format
	kformat = ku
	existent is either entity or characteristic or relation
	entity is either John or Mary
	characteristic is either sex or ...
	sex is either male or female
	relation is either [John has sex=male] or
		[Mary has sex=female]
In my terminology, the units of existent are
	entity, relation
and the primitive units of existent are
	John, Mary, male, female,
	[John has sex=male], [Mary has sex=female]


2. Binswanger & Peikoff, IOE Appendix, page 241
	"Prof. B: What is the relationship between the concepts
	'existence' and 'existent'? Is it that the concept
	'existent' is a term which applies a concept to a
	particular or designates a particular as a unit under
	the concept?
	AR: That's right.  Because the concept 'existence', at
	least the way I use it, is in a certain way close to
	the concept 'universe' -- all that which exists.
	Prof. B: 'Existence' is a collective noun almost.
	AR: That's right.  An existent is, then, a particular
	which exists."

In my KR language, "concept stands for all of its units"
is expressed as
	concept is all unit1 and unit2 and ...
which defines a "collective concept" or "group".  Using
the previous example, I interpret Rand's statements to
mean that "existence" is the group of the primitive units
of "existent"
	existence is all John and Mary and
			male and female and
			[John has sex=male] and 
			[Mary has sex=female]
or
	existence is all existent