Is ontology synonymous to existence?

General Philosophy
1

I am not a philosopher, but I recently encountered an argument in which a participant repeatedly asserted that “ontology is existence” and treated the two terms as synonymous.
My understanding is that ontology is generally the branch of philosophy concerned with being, existence, and the categories of what exists, rather than a synonym for existence itself.
Is there any recognized philosophical tradition, school, or contemporary usage in which ontology and existence are treated as synonymous terms? Or would most philosophers regard this as an imprecise use of the word “ontology”?
If the latter, what distinction would professional philosophers normally draw between ontology and existence?

I am interested in both historical and contemporary usage. If there are philosophers who have used “ontology” as shorthand for “existence” or “being,” I would appreciate examples.

2

You’re quite right. But when

they were probably exasperated with someone who insisted that said branch branched further because (it might have been alleged) being is somehow not a synonym for existence.

3

Ontology is the study of existence not existence itself.

Someone keen to make a pedantic point - might claim that if we are studying something it has some form of existence even if it’s just a fiction in someone’s mind.

4

In that case ontology is not synonymous with existence and such use is not expected from a philosopher or someone who knows what he is talking.

1 Like
5

If everybody gives his own meanings to such a highly technical terminology, statements would not be meaningful at all. Isn’t that so?

6

Not sure if they’re inexcusably wrong without seeing the whole quote? Maybe (hyper-trendy) usage allows discussion about the “ontology of unicorns”? (Referring to the existence of unicorns. Conventional usage already allows discussion about the “ontology of unicorns” if that phrase refers to the study of or discussion about existence of unicorns.)

7

If someone is talking about existence this would be ontology, a term coined in 1606 by combining the Greek words onto
(being or existence) + logos (speech, word, logic, etc.)

1 Like
8

Heidegger understands existence as self-transcendence. ‘Ex’-istence is an exiting from self. The ontology or nature of the being of my being is ecstatic, a going beyond.

1 Like