Folded Logical Space

Abstract

As mentioned in the introduction to Chapter 3, public space is rife with debates over whether some particular thing or other exists. In recent years the USA and the UK have witnessed the emergence of a very visible and quite vocal group of scientist and media people whose main purpose is basically to assert their view that God does not exist, and thereby to persuade other people to stop believing in God, or be more outspoken about their disbelief, if they are already atheists. I am referring here to people like Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Bill Malier and others. Philosophers, on the other hand, are keen on also analyzing what the term “exists” means. There seems to be a communication gap between the first group and the second, but that is understandable given the very different goals they have — the former typically political, the latter typically theoretical.