Abstract
An absence is a puzzling object. In some sense, something which is absent is phenomenologically present to us. This paper discusses the metaphysical and epistemological problems of absences. After a short primer of mereology, it then presents a mereological account of absences. The absence of an object is its mereological complement. The paper then explains how this account resolves the metaphysical and epistemological problems. It ends by addressing some objections to the account.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/disp-2024-0009 | Journal eISSN: 2182-2875 (formerly 0873-626X) | Journal ISSN: 0873-626X
Language: English
Page range: 180 - 196
Published on: Jan 26, 2026
Published by: University of Lisbon
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
Related subjects:
© 2026 Graham Priest, published by University of Lisbon
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.