There may be some in the world population who, even if they
understand the importance of other branches of metaphysics, hold no brief for
ontology – the study of what exists and what it is to exist. Some are quite
satisfied with, “Everything exists.” It is, of course, true in one obvious way
that everything exists. To be included among
the things of everything is to be. So
understood “Everything exists” is tautological. There is, however, a way of asserting “Everything
exists” so that it carries real content, indeed makes an important metaphysical
claim. Once many years ago, I made just this claim, and was as wrong as wrong
can be.
