The Metaphysics Research Lab  The Metaphysics Research Lab Center for the Study of Language and Information Cordura Hall 202 Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-4115Welcome to the web pages of the Metaphysics Research Lab. Whereasphysics is the attempt to discover the laws that govern fundamentalconcrete objects, metaphysics is the attempt to discover the laws thatsystematize the fundamental abstract objects presupposed byphysical science, such as natural numbers, real numbers, functions,sets and properties, physically possible objects and events, to namejust a few. The goal of metaphysics, therefore, is to develop a formalontology, i.e., a formally precise systematization of these abstractobjects. Such a theory will be compatible with the world view ofnatural science if the abstract objects postulated by the theory areconceived as patterns of the natural world. In our research lab, we have developed such a theory: the axiomatictheory of abstract objects and relations. In many ways, this theoryis like a machine for detecting abstract objects (hence the name‘research lab’), for among the recursively enumerabletheorems, there are statements which assert the existence of theabstract objects mentioned above. Moreover, the properties of theseabstracta can be formally derived as consequences of the axioms. Thetheory systematizes ideas of philosophers such as Plato, Leibniz,Frege, Meinong, and Mally. Our results are collated in the documentPrincipia Metaphysica, which is authored by Edward N. Zalta(Ph.D./Philosophy), a Senior Research Scholar at CSLI. An onlineversion of Principia Metaphysica can be found by followingthe link to The Theory of Abstract Objects (seebelow). In published work, the theory has been applied to problems inthe philosophy of language, intensional logic, the philosophy ofmathematics, and the history of philosophy. Welcome Message (272K sound file) (.snd, .au, or .wav) (Recorded December 1, 1994) The Theory of Abstract Objects (Summary and Tutorial) Computational Metaphysics Web Pages (by Branden Fitelson, Paul Oppenheimer, and Edward N. Zalta) Streaming Video Lecture on Abstract Objects and Computational Metaphysics Slides For the Lecture (in PDF) ("Steps Toward a Computational Metaphysics", by Edward N. Zalta and Branden Fitelson, Computing and Philosophy Conference, OregonState University, August 8, 2003)  Ernst Mally Plato and Meinong Gottlob Frege Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz  Metaphysics Research Lab Personnel Active CollaboratorsEdward N. Zalta, Senior Research Scholar, CSLI, Stanford University. Upcoming Invited Talks: Philosophy Department, Georgetown University, October 14, 2008. Philosophy Department, Princeton University, October 16, 2008. Uri Nodelman, Engineering Research Associate, Stanford UniversityColin Allen (Virtual Member), Professor, History and Philosophy of Science, Indiana UniversityBranden Fitelson(Virtual Member), Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department,University of California/BerkeleyBernard Linsky (Virtual Member), Professor, Philosophy Department, U. ofAlberta, CANADAOtávio Bueno (Virtual Member), Professor, University of Miami.Paul Oppenheimer (Virtual Member), Independent Scholar, Scottsdale, AZ.Michael Nelson (Virtual Member), AssistantProfessor, Philosophy Department, University of California/Riverside. Hannes Leitgeb (Virtual Member), Reader, Philosophy Department, Bristol University(Former) Visitors to the Lab (reverse chronological order):Johannes Brandl, Associate Professor, Universität SalzburgOndrej Tomala, Ph.D. Candidate, Charles University, Prague (The Czech Republic).Gabriel Sandu, Professor, Theoretical Philosophy, University of Helsinki, Finland Ju Shier, Professor, Zhongshan University; Director, Institute for Logic and Cognition, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, ChinaNie Wenlong, Assistant Professor, Institute for Logic and Cognition, Zhongshan (Sun Yat-Sen) University, Guangzhou, China Mark Colyvan, Professor, Philosophy, University of Sydney, AUSTRALIA , Forschungsassistent, University of Graz, AUSTRIA, and Lecturer at University of Prishtina, Kosovo. Sun-Joo Shin (Professor, Philosophy, Yale University) Paavo Pylkkanen, Associate Professor, Consciousness Studies Program, Skövde University, SWEDEN Anna Bjurman, Doctoral Student, Department of Philosophy, University of Lund, SWEDEN Keith Stenning, Professor, Division of Informatics (Human Communication ResearchCentre), University of Edinburgh, SCOTLAND Daniel Nolan, Lecturer, Philosophy Department, University of Nottingham Greg Restall, Senior Lecturer, Philosophy Department, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Francis Jeffry Pelletier, Professor, Philosophy Department, University of Alberta, CANADA Wolfgang Malzkorn, formerly of the Seminar für Logik und Grundlagenforschung, Universität Bonn, GERMANY Steven Horst, Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Wesleyan University Godehard Link, Professor, Institut für Philosophie, Logik, undWissenschaftstheorie, Universität München, GERMANY Edwin Mares, Senior Lecturer, Philosophy Department, Victoria University ofWellington, NEW ZEALAND Karl-Georg Niebergall, Assistant Professor, Institut für Philosophie, Logik, undWissenschaftstheorie, Universität München, GERMANY Peter Menzies, Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Macquarie University, AUSTRALIA John Bacon, Associate Professor, School of Philosophy, University of Sydney, AUSTRALIA David Chalmers, Professor, Australian National University, AUSTRALIA Andrew Irvine, Professor, Philosophy Department, University of British Columbia,CANADA Christopher Gauker, Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, University of Cincinnati Mark Textor, Lecturer, Kings College/London, UK Kees van Deemter, Reader, Department of Computing Science,University of Aberdeen, UNITED KINGDOM Christopher Menzel, Associate Professor, Philosophy Department, Texas A&M University  Center for the Study of Language and Information Tools and Procedures Used To Create This Web Site  Search These Pages Access Statistics for This Site Copyright © 2004, by Edward N. 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