02Z2Shadow

Adapted for the Internet from:

Why God Doesn't Exist

In order to determine objectively and unambiguously whether a word represents an object, we will use a

single criterion:

shape

If we can point to and name an

image

, it is by definition an object. Otherwise, it is

either a

concept

space

lato argues that a shadow is an object and, in principle, he appears to be right. The word

shadow

meets

two requirements:

shape and single-word. For example, an extraterrestrial (

)

may not be able to

distinguish between a true object and a

shadow by simply looking at a 2-D

image – we can just as well call

'it' X. However, a shadow also fulfills the criteria of a concept.

The prosecutor must allude to a second

object to explain the word shadow. The tiebreaker is

that a shadow does not have a

shape of its own.

shadow is not a standalone object. Without the tree, we have no shadow.

This

becomes obvious when we

take the object

into deep space. The object has shape. The shadow doesn't

(

Fig. 1

)

Is a shadow an
object or a
concept?

Fig. 1 Me and my shadow

A shadow is not a stand-alone
object. This is easily demonstrated.
Here on Earth, a cube has shape and
casts a shadow. If we take the cube
to outer space, the cube continues to
have shape. It's shadow doesn't.
Without a physical object, there is no
such thing as a shadow.