Ontology Questions Medium
The ontological status of fictional entities is a topic of debate within philosophy. There are several different perspectives on this issue.
One perspective is that fictional entities have no ontological status at all. According to this view, fictional entities are simply products of human imagination and do not exist in any real sense. They are purely fictional and have no existence outside of the fictional worlds in which they are created. This perspective is often associated with nominalism, which denies the existence of abstract entities and argues that only concrete, particular things exist.
Another perspective is that fictional entities have a kind of existence, albeit a different kind from concrete, physical objects. According to this view, fictional entities exist in a fictional or imaginary realm. They have a kind of "fictional existence" that is distinct from the existence of concrete objects in the physical world. This perspective is often associated with a form of realism called "fictional realism," which holds that fictional entities have a reality of their own within the context of the fictional world.
A third perspective is that fictional entities have a dual ontological status. According to this view, fictional entities exist both within the fictional world and as abstract entities in the realm of ideas or concepts. They have a kind of existence that is independent of any particular instantiation in a physical or fictional world. This perspective is often associated with a form of realism called "conceptual realism," which argues that abstract entities, including fictional entities, have a real existence as concepts or ideas.
Ultimately, the ontological status of fictional entities is a complex and contested issue within philosophy. Different philosophers may hold different views on this matter, and the debate continues to evolve as new perspectives and arguments are put forth.