{"product_id":"ontology-made-easy-by-amie-thomasson-book-price-in-bd","title":"Ontology Made Easy by Amie L. Thomasson","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout Ontology Made Easy by Amie L. Thomasson – A Clear Guide to Existence, Metaphysics, Language, and Easy Ontology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology Made Easy by Amie L. Thomasson is a philosophy book about a central question in metaphysics: what exists? Philosophers debate objects, properties, numbers, events, propositions, fictional characters, and many other kinds of things. Thomasson asks whether some of these debates are harder than necessary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer main idea is the “easy approach to ontology.” Instead of treating every existence question as a deep mystery requiring a special metaphysical method, she argues that many questions can be answered by examining how our words and concepts work and then checking relevant facts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen philosophers ask whether tables, numbers, properties, or other entities exist, Thomasson asks what rules govern those terms and what evidence is actually needed to answer the question.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat Ontology Means\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology is the branch of philosophy that studies what exists.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA basic ontological question might ask whether numbers exist. Another might ask whether properties such as redness exist, whether fictional characters exist in any sense, or whether ordinary objects such as tables and chairs should be counted as real entities.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese questions can become highly technical because philosophers disagree about what counts as existence, what kinds of things should be accepted, and what methods can settle the disagreement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson enters this debate by challenging the idea that ontology must always be difficult. She argues that once the meaning and use of our terms are understood, many existence questions can be answered more directly than traditional metaphysical debates suggest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy Thomasson Calls Her Approach Easy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe word “easy” in the title does not mean that every chapter is simple or that the book avoids difficult philosophy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt refers to a method.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson argues that many existence claims can be reached through straightforward reasoning from claims that are not controversial. If there are five books on a table, for example, it is easy to say that the number of books on the table is five. If a house is red, ordinary language gives us a way to say that the house has the property of being red.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor Thomasson, these kinds of inferences matter because they show that some entities philosophers debate about can be accepted without a long metaphysical struggle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe challenge is to explain why these simple forms of reasoning should be trusted and what happens when philosophers reject them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Book Responds to Hard Ontology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA major target of the book is what Thomasson calls “hard ontology.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHard ontology treats existence questions as deep theoretical problems and asks which entities belong in our most fundamental description of reality.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson thinks this approach can produce long debates without a clear method for deciding who is right.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer alternative shifts attention toward concepts, language, rules of use, and the role of our terms. Instead of searching for hidden metaphysical facts beyond ordinary evidence, philosophers can ask what our concepts require and whether the relevant conditions are met.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarnap Is an Important Background Figure\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRudolf Carnap is one of the most important historical influences on Ontology Made Easy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarnap distinguished between questions asked within a linguistic framework and questions about whether to adopt that framework.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson develops this idea while responding to later analytic philosophy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShe does not simply repeat Carnap. She addresses objections shaped by Quine and later metaphysics, making the book a modern defense and development of a broadly Carnapian approach to ontology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuine Provides Another Major Point of Reference\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eW. V. O. Quine had enormous influence on modern ontology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMany philosophers influenced by Quine focus on what entities a theory must quantify over and what commitments follow from accepting it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson argues that later neo-Quinean debates can become difficult to resolve because philosophers disagree about which entities belong in our ontology and lack a clear neutral method for settling the dispute.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer alternative helps readers compare Carnapian and Quinean approaches and understand why metaontology asks both what exists and how existence questions should be answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetaontology Is Central to the Book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology asks what exists. Metaontology asks how ontological questions should be understood and what methods can answer them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology Made Easy is therefore as much about metaontology as ontology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson examines the language used in existence debates and asks what makes a question meaningful.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer view is that meaningful terms come with rules or conditions for their use. Once those are understood, we can often see what evidence is needed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSome questions are settled conceptually, others empirically, and some by both. The approach rejects the need for a mysterious extra method available only to metaphysicians.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConceptual Truth Plays an Important Role\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book gives an important role to conceptual truth: connections we can recognize through understanding the relevant terms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson argues that some existence inferences depend on these conceptual links.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis leads into debates about analyticity, meaning, and whether philosophers can rely on conceptual knowledge.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe middle and later chapters are therefore more technical than the title may suggest. The proposed method is “easy,” but defending it still requires detailed argument.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEasy Arguments Are a Key Tool\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson uses what are often called easy arguments.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese begin with an ordinary or uncontroversial statement and move to an existence claim through a simple conceptual step.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor example, if there are five books on a table, then there is a number that is the number of books on the table: five.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe point is not that every philosophical problem can be solved with one sentence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe point is that some existence claims may follow from ordinary truths plus rules built into our concepts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf that is correct, then denying the existence of numbers, properties, propositions, or other disputed entities may require rejecting forms of reasoning that are deeply connected with ordinary language and thought.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Book Discusses Competing Views\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology Made Easy does not present Thomasson’s position without engaging alternatives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShe discusses fictionalism, quantifier variance, neo-Quinean ontology, technical notions of existence, and several other approaches in contemporary metaphysics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book also engages philosophers including Eli Hirsch, Ted Sider, Thomas Hofweber, Karen Bennett, and others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis makes it useful for postgraduate students, researchers, and advanced undergraduates who want more than an introduction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReaders can see not only what Thomasson believes, but also how her view fits into a larger philosophical debate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews assessment notes that the book provides a valuable overview of competing positions even while raising objections to parts of Thomasson’s argument.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor readers working through metaphysics, the book also provides a useful map of competing methods, showing why disagreements about existence often depend on prior assumptions about language, evidence, and meaning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Book Is Best for Readers With Some Philosophy Background\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite the friendly title, Ontology Made Easy is an academic philosophy book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is not written like a beginner’s self-help guide or a basic introduction to metaphysics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReaders will encounter technical terms such as quantifier variance, deflationism, conceptual truth, sortal terms, fictionalism, and neo-Quinean ontology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA reader who already knows basic metaphysics or analytic philosophy will find the argument easier to follow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStudents can also use the book alongside a course, lecture notes, or an introductory text.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe writing is clear by academic standards, but the subject itself is abstract and requires patient reading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy the Book Matters in Contemporary Metaphysics\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book matters because it challenges the assumption that difficult ontological debates must be answered using increasingly complex metaphysical theories.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThomasson argues that some debates may be misguided because the answers are already available through conceptual and empirical methods.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf she is right, philosophers can redirect energy toward questions that have clearer practical or theoretical value.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer later work continues this larger project of rethinking metaphysics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn a 2025 preface, Thomasson describes Ontology Made Easy as the first part of a trilogy aimed at demystifying metaphysics and redirecting it toward more fruitful work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat places this book inside a longer philosophical project rather than treating it as an isolated argument.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication and Edition Details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOxford University Press published Ontology Made Easy in New York in 2015.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe hardcover edition has ISBN 9780199385119 and ISBN-10 0199385114.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBibliographic records list xiii plus 345 pages, with the bibliography beginning on page 331 and the index on page 341.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book is classified under philosophy and metaphysics.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOxford Academic also lists it as part of Oxford Scholarship Online.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDifferent electronic or later print formats may display pagination differently, so readers who need a specific edition for study or citation should check the ISBN and format before ordering.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout Amie L. Thomasson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmie L. Thomasson is a philosopher known for work in metaphysics, metaontology, philosophy of mind, social ontology, philosophy of art, and related areas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt the time Ontology Made Easy was published, she was a professor at the University of Miami.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShe is now the Daniel P. Stone Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy at Dartmouth College.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer publications include several books and many academic articles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology Made Easy develops themes connected with her earlier work while giving a fuller defense of her easy approach to existence questions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWho Should Read Ontology Made Easy?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis book is a strong choice for philosophy students, researchers, teachers, and readers interested in metaphysics, analytic philosophy, ontology, philosophy of language, or philosophical method.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is especially useful for readers studying Carnap, Quine, metaontology, ontological commitment, or debates about numbers, properties, propositions, and ordinary objects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause the book is academic, beginners may prefer to read a short introduction to ontology first.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor university study, it can support essays, seminars, thesis work, and advanced discussion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book is also useful for readers who want to understand why philosophers disagree not only about what exists, but about how existence questions should be asked in the first place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook Quality at Bookish Wonderland\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBookish Wonderland offers this title with premium eye-soothing cream paper, crystal-clear printing, and high-quality stitched plus glue binding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe softer cream paper supports longer reading sessions, which is useful for a dense academic text. Clear printing helps keep technical vocabulary, examples, notes, and philosophical arguments easy to follow. Strong binding supports repeated study, annotation, and shelf storage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe copy is suitable for personal reading, university study, research, teaching, or building a philosophy collection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy Order from Bookish Wonderland?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBookish Wonderland delivers books across Bangladesh, including inside and outside Dhaka. Cash on Delivery is available nationwide.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCustomers in Dhaka can also ask about fast or urgent delivery when available.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you are checking Ontology Made Easy by Amie L. Thomasson Book price in Bangladesh, it is useful to compare the physical quality of the copy along with the listed price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook customization is also available. For stock, customization, or delivery questions, you can contact Bookish Wonderland through Facebook or Instagram.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Focused Book for Serious Philosophy Readers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOntology Made Easy by Amie L. Thomasson asks whether philosophers have made existence questions unnecessarily difficult.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIts answer is a carefully defended easy approach based on conceptual and empirical methods, ordinary language, and rules for using our terms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book gives readers a direct route into major debates about ontology while also explaining why the method of asking the question matters.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor students and readers already interested in analytic metaphysics, it offers a clear position to study, question, defend, or criticize.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrder your copy from Bookish Wonderland for nationwide delivery, Cash on Delivery, premium cream paper, clear printing, and strong stitched plus glue binding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you require any customization or have any questions, please inbox us via FB or Insta.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bookish Wonderland","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43732688732257,"sku":null,"price":302.0,"currency_code":"BDT","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43732688765025,"sku":null,"price":386.0,"currency_code":"BDT","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/1788\/8609\/files\/Ontology_Made_Easy_by_Amie_L._Thomasson_in_BD.jpg?v=1789337304","url":"https:\/\/bookishwonderland.com\/products\/ontology-made-easy-by-amie-thomasson-book-price-in-bd","provider":"Bookish Wonderland","version":"1.0","type":"link"}