Object (philosophy)

The term object ( Latin: obiectum that, contrary Thrown ) is a concept used in philosophy varied. In the ontology " object" is often used interchangeably with "object". In this sense, the "Object " applies to " property " and " event " as a fundamental ontological category, that should together comprise everything that exists, each entity. In the ontological issue, in particular the ratio of the object or object-concept is addressed to the other basic terms. Instance, it is discussed whether properties can be attributed to an independent existence of objects, or whether it is possible events on the distribution of properties to objects traced back in time.

Since the dualism of Descartes, the object is also the subject compared ( subject- object split ). A subject may well apply as an object in the ontological sense. The crucial difference here is rather that the subject is defined as the active perceiver, while the object of perception is in the passive given.

Object concept in different traditions

In addition to the general meanings of the object concept in terms of the ontology and the subject-object dichotomy of the object concept in different traditions was used as a technical term again and again:

• At Thomas Aquinas classical substance ( Greek: hypokeimenon, paradoxically, the grammatical subject of a sentence about which something is predicated ) understood as materiales object.
• In Kant's transcendental philosophy the parent by Categories sentiments apply as objects. Objects are thus the phenomena, which are of empirical reality in Kant. However, they are transcendentally ideal, ie, to separate from the thing in itself, " but the object in whose term the manifold of a given intuition is united. " (Kant: Critique of Pure Reason S.B137 )
• In the philosophy of the 18th and 19th centuries constituted subject and object to each other especially in epistemology. In the Hegelian dialectic, the cleavage is canceled idealistic.
• In symbolic interactionism the importance of social objects in symbolically mediated action process is spawned. Similarly, the theory of action trying to make philosophy begin in action, and thereby avoid the opposition of the object in advance.