Literary notes about Existing (AI summary)
The term “existing” in literature generally functions as an adjective that draws attention to the state of being or the current presence of tangible objects, institutions, or abstract concepts. In historical and descriptive contexts, it is used to delimit what is presently in existence, as seen when fossils are classified into “still existing groups” versus those that have vanished [1, 2] or when authors note “existing remains” of desolated sites [3]. Philosophers and political theorists employ the word to contrast ideal forms with material reality—Plato interrogates the permanence of the soul versus existing political orders [4, 5, 6], and John Dewey references “existing economic conditions” to call for social progress [7, 8]. Even in more abstract treatments, such as in Lewis Carroll’s logical puzzles or Kant’s critiques [9, 10, 11, 12], “existing” is used to distinguish between conceptual categories or states of order, demonstrating its versatility across literary genres.
- But, as Buckland long ago remarked, all fossils can be classed either in still existing groups, or between them.
— from On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin - Mr. Busk, however, does not know of any gradations now existing between a zooid and an avicularium.
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin - Its site is now utterly desolate and its existing remains inconsiderable.
— from The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 1 (of 6) by the Elder Pliny - Another question is, Which of existing states is suited to her?
— from The Republic by Plato - But the soul which cannot be destroyed by an evil, whether inherent or external, must exist for ever, and if existing for ever, must be immortal?
— from The Republic by Plato - But the soul which cannot be destroyed by an evil, whether 611 inherent or external, must exist for ever, and if existing for ever, must be immortal?
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - There is, however, grave danger that in insisting upon this end, existing economic conditions and standards will be accepted as final.
— from Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education by John Dewey - This confusion corresponds to the existing situation of human intercourse.
— from Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education by John Dewey - “Some existing Things are x m -Things”.]
— from Symbolic Logic by Lewis Carroll - Similarly, the Proposition “No existing Things are men fifty feet high” asserts that the Class “men 50 feet high” is Imaginary .
— from Symbolic Logic by Lewis Carroll - Such a word (or phrase) is called a ‘ Name ’; and, if there be an existing Thing which it represents, it is said to be a Name of that Thing.
— from Symbolic Logic by Lewis Carroll - I may thus be obliged to admit that all existing things have a necessary basis, while I cannot cogitate any single or individual thing as necessary.
— from The Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
