Existence facts for kids

Existence is all about "being real" or "being there." It's a big idea that people have thought about for a very long time. When we say something exists, we mean it's not just an idea in our heads, but something that is actually true or present.

In English, we often use the word "is" to talk about existence. For example:

• I am a person. (This means "I exist as a person.")
• This is a book. (This means "This book exists.")
• The sky is blue. (This means "The blueness of the sky exists.")

Sometimes, it's easy to understand what exists. A chair exists because you can see it and touch it. But what about numbers? Does the number seven exist in the same way a chair does? This is where the idea of existence gets a bit tricky and interesting!

What Does It Mean to Exist?

Thinking about what it means for something to exist is a very old and important question. Philosophers, who are people who study big ideas, have spent centuries trying to figure this out. They ask questions like:

• Do ideas exist?
• Do feelings exist?
• Do things we can't see, like gravity or time, exist?

One of the first famous thinkers to really dig into these questions was Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher. He thought deeply about what makes something real and how we can understand the world around us.

Different Kinds of Existence

Not everything exists in the same way. For example, a real dog exists in the physical world. You can pet it, feed it, and hear it bark. But what about a dog in a storybook? That dog exists in the story, but it's not a physical animal you can touch.

Philosophers often talk about different types of existence:

• Physical existence: Things you can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste. Like a tree, a car, or your friend.
• Mental existence: Ideas, thoughts, dreams, and feelings. These exist in your mind.
• Abstract existence: Concepts like numbers, justice, or beauty. These don't exist physically, but they are still real in some way. For example, the idea of "justice" is very real and important, even though you can't pick it up.

The Study of Being: Ontology

The part of philosophy that specifically studies existence and what it means to be is called ontology. It's like a detective trying to solve the mystery of reality. Ontologists try to understand what categories of things exist and how they are related to each other. They ask: What is the most basic nature of reality?

For kids your age, thinking about existence can be a fun way to explore the world around you and inside your mind. Every time you wonder if something is real, or if an idea is true, you're thinking like a philosopher!

Images for kids

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  A robot thinking about what it means to exist.