Reism, Issues and Consequences

Author
Arvin Moradi
University of Allamah Tabatabaei
10.61186/mi.5.2.479
Abstract
This paper investigates the theory of Reism through the perspectives of Brentano and Kotarbiński, examining its contribution to clarifying philosophical concepts and resolving linguistic ambiguities. Reism, by denying the existence of abstract entities and emphasizing concrete objects, seeks to separate genuine philosophical issues from pseudo-problems that arise due to imprecise language. Brentano’s approach, centered on his theory of intentionality, asserts that every mental act is directed toward a concrete object. He argued that dismissing abstract constructs—such as universals, properties, and relations—can streamline language and logic, thereby alleviating philosophical skepticism and confusion. Extending this line of thought, Kotarbiński further developed Reism by proposing that all philosophical concepts be reduced solely to concrete objects. He argued that language should function as a precise instrument, stripped of abstract elements like qualities, relations, and states of affairs, to ensure clarity in philosophical discourse. Employing Lesniewski’s logical system, he shows how Reism addresses significant challenges in analytic philosophy, including issues related to non-existent proper names and difficulties inherent in Frege’s theory of meaning. Although critics note that rejecting abstract entities may limit its applicability in domains such as mathematics and set theory, the theory’s emphasis on simplicity and linguistic clarity continues to offer valuable insights into both linguistic and metaphysical studies.
Keywords
reism
Brentano
Kotarbiński
Language
Logic
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پاتنم، هیلاری (1392)، فلسفه‌ی منطق، ترجمه: مازیار چیت‌سا، تهران: حکمت.
پاتنم، هیلاری (1396)، اخلاق بدون هستی‌شناسی. ترجمه‌: مسعود علیا، تهران: صراط.
پاتنم، هیلاری (1396)، اخلاق بدون هستی‌شناسی. ترجمه‌: مسعود علیا، تهران: صراط.
پایا، علی (1382)، فلسفه تحلیلی، مسائل و چشم‌اندازها. تهران: انتشارات طرح نو.
پایا، علی (1382)، فلسفه تحلیلی، مسائل و چشم‌اندازها. تهران: انتشارات طرح نو.
دامت، مایکل (1394)، خاستگاه‌های فلسفۀ تحلیلی، ترجمه عبدالله نیک‌سیرت، تهران: انتشارات حکمت.
دامت، مایکل (1394)، خاستگاه‌های فلسفۀ تحلیلی، ترجمه عبدالله نیک‌سیرت، تهران: انتشارات حکمت.
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کارنپ، رودلف (1402)، تجربه‌گرایی، دلالت‌شناسی و هستی‌شناسی، ترجمه‌: آروین مرادی. چاپ‌شده در «مارکسیسم، فلسفه تحلیلی و زبان»ف تهران: طرح نو.
Ajdukiewicz, K. (1978), The scientific world-perspective and other essays, 1931-1963. Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company.
Ajdukiewicz, K. (1978), The scientific world-perspective and other essays, 1931-1963. Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company.
Aristotle. (1989), Organon, Or Logical Treatises. London: George Bell & Sons.
Aristotle. (1989), Organon, Or Logical Treatises. London: George Bell & Sons.
Berkley, G. (1999), The Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues. New York: Oxford University Press.
Berkley, G. (1999), The Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues. New York: Oxford University Press.
Chrudzimski, A & Smith, B. (2004), Brentano's Ontology: from Conceptualism to Reism. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Chrudzimski, A & Smith, B. (2004), Brentano's Ontology: from Conceptualism to Reism. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Georg, R , Koehn, G. (2004), Brentano's Relation to Aristotle. Printed in the Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
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Hylton, P. (1992). Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Jacob, P, "Intentionality", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .
Jacob, P, "Intentionality", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .
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Kotarbinski, T. (1955), The Fundamental Ideas of Pansomatism. Oxford University Press: Mind, New Series, Vol. 64, No. 256 (Oct., 1955), pp. 488-500.
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers.
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers.
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Loux, M.J. (1974), Ockham's Theory of Terms: Part 1 of the Summa Logicae. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Loux, M.J. (1974), Ockham's Theory of Terms: Part 1 of the Summa Logicae. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Patterson, D. (2012), Alfred Tarski: Philosophy of Language and Logic. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.
Patterson, D. (2012), Alfred Tarski: Philosophy of Language and Logic. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.
Przerlecki, M. (1990), Semantic Reasons for Ontological Statements: The Argumentation of a Reist. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Przerlecki, M. (1990), Semantic Reasons for Ontological Statements: The Argumentation of a Reist. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Russell, B. (1914), Our Knowledge of the External World. London: The Open court Publishing Company.
Russell, B. (1914), Our Knowledge of the External World. London: The Open court Publishing Company.
Russell, B. (2010), The Philosophy of Logical Atomism. London: Routledge.
Russell, B. (2010), The Philosophy of Logical Atomism. London: Routledge.
Shapiro, S. (2006), Foundations without Foundationalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shapiro, S. (2006), Foundations without Foundationalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Simons, P.M. (2004), Judging Correctly: Brentano and the Reform of Elementary Logic. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Simons, P.M. (2004), Judging Correctly: Brentano and the Reform of Elementary Logic. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Sinisi, V.F. (1990a), Kotarbinski's Theory of Genuine Names. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Sinisi, V.F. (1990a), Kotarbinski's Theory of Genuine Names. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
Woleński, Jan, (2022), "Reism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Zarnecka-Bialy, E. (1990). The Voice of the Past in Kotarbinski's Writings. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Woleński, Jan, (2022), "Reism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Zarnecka-Bialy, E. (1990). The Voice of the Past in Kotarbinski's Writings. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers.
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers.
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland.
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library.
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

پاتنم، هیلاری (1392)، فلسفه‌ی منطق، ترجمه: مازیار چیت‌سا، تهران: حکمت.
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

پاتنم، هیلاری (1392)، فلسفه‌ی منطق، ترجمه: مازیار چیت‌سا، تهران: حکمت.
پاتنم، هیلاری (1396)، اخلاق بدون هستی‌شناسی. ترجمه‌: مسعود علیا، تهران: صراط.
پاتنم، هیلاری (1396)، اخلاق بدون هستی‌شناسی. ترجمه‌: مسعود علیا، تهران: صراط.
پایا، علی (1382)، فلسفة تحلیلی، مسائل و چشم‌اندازها. تهران: انتشارات طرح نو.
پایا، علی (1382)، فلسفة تحلیلی، مسائل و چشم‌اندازها. تهران: انتشارات طرح نو.
دامت، مایکل (1394)، خاستگاه‌های فلسفۀ تحلیلی، ترجمه عبدالله نیک‌سیرت، تهران: انتشارات حکمت.
دامت، مایکل (1394)، خاستگاه‌های فلسفۀ تحلیلی، ترجمه عبدالله نیک‌سیرت، تهران: انتشارات حکمت.
کارنپ، رودلف (1402)، تجربه‌گرایی، دلالت‌شناسی و هستی‌شناسی، ترجمه‌: آروین مرادی. چاپ‌شده در «مارکسیسم، فلسفة تحلیلی و زبان»ف تهران: طرح نو.
کارنپ، رودلف (1402)، تجربه‌گرایی، دلالت‌شناسی و هستی‌شناسی، ترجمه‌: آروین مرادی. چاپ‌شده در «مارکسیسم، فلسفة تحلیلی و زبان»ف تهران: طرح نو.
Ajdukiewicz, K. (1978), The scientific world-perspective and other essays, 1931-1963. Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-010-1120-4]
Ajdukiewicz, K. (1978), The scientific world-perspective and other essays, 1931-1963. Dordrecht: D. Reidel Publishing Company. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-010-1120-4]
Aristotle. (1989), Organon, Or Logical Treatises. London: George Bell & Sons.
Aristotle. (1989), Organon, Or Logical Treatises. London: George Bell & Sons.
Berkley, G. (1999), The Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues. New York: Oxford University Press.
Berkley, G. (1999), The Principles of Human Knowledge and Three Dialogues. New York: Oxford University Press.
Chrudzimski, A & Smith, B. (2004), Brentano's Ontology: from Conceptualism to Reism. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press. [DOI:10.1017/CCOL0521809800.009]
Chrudzimski, A & Smith, B. (2004), Brentano's Ontology: from Conceptualism to Reism. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press. [DOI:10.1017/CCOL0521809800.009]
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Hylton, P. (1992). Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [DOI:10.1093/019824018X.001.0001]
Hylton, P. (1992). Russell, Idealism, and the Emergence of Analytic Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [DOI:10.1093/019824018X.001.0001]
Jacob, P, "Intentionality", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .
Jacob, P, "Intentionality", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .
Kotarbinski, T. (1955), The Fundamental Ideas of Pansomatism. Oxford University Press: Mind, New Series, Vol. 64, No. 256 (Oct., 1955), pp. 488-500. [DOI:10.1093/mind/LXIV.256.488]
Kotarbinski, T. (1955), The Fundamental Ideas of Pansomatism. Oxford University Press: Mind, New Series, Vol. 64, No. 256 (Oct., 1955), pp. 488-500. [DOI:10.1093/mind/LXIV.256.488]
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1968), Reism: Issues and Prospects. Peeters Publishers: NOUVELLE SÉRIE, Vol. 11, No. 44 (Décembre 1968), pp. 441-458.
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-9777-6_7]
Kotarbinski, T. (1979), The Reistic or Concretistic Approach. Printed in: Semiotics in Poland, 1894-1969. Warszawa: Polish Scientific Publishers. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-9777-6_7]
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_8]
Lejewski, C. (1990), On the Dramatic Stage in the Development of Kotarbinski's Pansomatism. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_8]
Loux, M.J. (1974), Ockham's Theory of Terms: Part 1 of the Summa Logicae. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Loux, M.J. (1974), Ockham's Theory of Terms: Part 1 of the Summa Logicae. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.
Patterson, D. (2012), Alfred Tarski: Philosophy of Language and Logic. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan. [DOI:10.1057/9780230367227]
Patterson, D. (2012), Alfred Tarski: Philosophy of Language and Logic. Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan. [DOI:10.1057/9780230367227]
Przerlecki, M. (1990), Semantic Reasons for Ontological Statements: The Argumentation of a Reist. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_9]
Przerlecki, M. (1990), Semantic Reasons for Ontological Statements: The Argumentation of a Reist. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. Edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_9]
Russell, B. (1914), Our Knowledge of the External World. London: The Open court Publishing Company.
Russell, B. (1914), Our Knowledge of the External World. London: The Open court Publishing Company.
Russell, B. (2010), The Philosophy of Logical Atomism. London: Routledge. [DOI:10.4324/9780203864777]
Russell, B. (2010), The Philosophy of Logical Atomism. London: Routledge. [DOI:10.4324/9780203864777]
Shapiro, S. (2006), Foundations without Foundationalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Shapiro, S. (2006), Foundations without Foundationalism. New York: Oxford University Press.
Simons, P.M. (2004), Judging Correctly: Brentano and the Reform of Elementary Logic. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press. [DOI:10.1017/CCOL0521809800.003]
Simons, P.M. (2004), Judging Correctly: Brentano and the Reform of Elementary Logic. Printed in: The Cambridge Companion to Brentano. Cambridge: Cambridge University press. [DOI:10.1017/CCOL0521809800.003]
Sinisi, V.F. (1990a), Kotarbinski's Theory of Genuine Names. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_11]
Sinisi, V.F. (1990a), Kotarbinski's Theory of Genuine Names. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic, Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2097-2_11]
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library. [DOI:10.4324/9780203010341]
Wittgenstein, L. (2002), Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London and New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library. [DOI:10.4324/9780203010341]
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2581-6]
Wolenski, J. (1989), Logic and philosophy in the Lvov-Warsaw school. Kluwer Academic Publishers. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-009-2581-6]
Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-015-8676-4_15]
Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-015-8676-4_15]
Woleński, Jan, (2022), "Reism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Zarnecka-Bialy, E. (1990). The Voice of the Past in Kotarbinski's Writings. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
Woleński, Jan, (2022), "Reism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Zarnecka-Bialy, E. (1990). The Voice of the Past in Kotarbinski's Writings. Printed in: Kotarbinski: Logic. Semantics and Ontology. edited by Jan Wolenski. Jagiellonian University, Krakow and The Technical University, Wrodaw, Poland. Woleński, J. (1996), Reism In the Brentanist Tradition. Printed in "The School of Franz Brentano". Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.