Holes (1996-2025)

The article from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy examines the ontological status of holes—whether they are real entities or merely linguistic conveniences. While everyday language and human cognition treat holes as objects comparable to material things (we count them, refer to them causally, and perceive them like ordinary objects), holes remain philosophically puzzling because they seem to be fundamentally nothing. The article presents this tension as a central problem for philosophers investigating what holes really are and whether they deserve recognition as genuine entities.