Entity
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| - | :''[[Object (philosophy)]]'' | + | An '''entity''' is something that [[Existence|exists]] as itself, as a subject or as an object, actually or potentially, concretely or abstractly, physically or not. It need not be of material existence. In particular, [[abstraction]]s and [[legal fiction]]s are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is [[Life|animate]], or [[present]]. |
| - | An '''entity''' is something that has a distinct, separate [[existence]], although it need not be a material existence. In particular, [[abstraction]]s and [[legal fiction]]s are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is [[Life|animate]]. | + | The word is abstract in intention. It may refer, for example, to [[Bucephalus]], the horse of [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]]; to a stone; to a [[cardinal number]]; to a language; or to [[ghost]]s or other [[spirit]]s. |
| - | An entity could be viewed as a [[Set (mathematics)|set]] containing [[subset]]s. In [[philosophy]], such sets are said to be [[abstract object]]s. | + | The word ''entitative'' is the adjective form of the noun entity. Something that is entitative is considered in its own right. |
| - | Sometimes, the word ''entity'' is used in a general sense of a [[being]], whether or not the referent has material existence; e.g., is often referred to as an entity with no [[Matter|corporeal]] form, such as a language. It is also often used to refer to [[ghost]]s and other [[spirit]]s. | + | == In philosophy == |
| + | :''[[ontology]]'' | ||
| + | Ontology is the study of being, existence and the recognition of entities. The words ontic and entity are derived respectively from the ancient Greek and Latin present participles that mean "[[being]]". | ||
| - | Taken further, ''entity'' sometimes refers to existence or being itself. For example, the former U.S. diplomat [[George F. Kennan]] once said that "the policy of the government of the United States is to seek ... to preserve Chinese territorial and administrative ''entity''." | + | == In law == |
| + | :''[[legal person]]'' | ||
| + | In [[law]], a legal entity is an entity that is capable of bearing legal [[rights]] and [[obligation]]s, such as a [[natural person]] or an [[Legal person|artificial person]] (e.g. business entity or a corporate entity). | ||
| - | "Entities" are used in system developmental models that display communications and internal processing of, say, documents compared to [[order processing]]. | + | == In politics == |
| + | :''[[polity]]'' | ||
| + | In [[politics]], ''entity'' is used as term for territorial divisions of some countries (e.g. [[Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia and Herzegovina]]). | ||
| - | The word ''entitative'' is the adjective form of the noun entity. Something that is entitative is "considered as pure entity; abstracted from all circumstances", that is, regarded as entity alone, apart from attendant circumstances. | + | == See also == |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==Specialized uses== | + | |
| - | * In [[system]], ''entity'' means a [[Components|component]]. | + | |
| - | * A [[database management system|DBMS]] ''entity'' is either a thing in the modeled world or a drawing element in an [[Entity-relationship model|ERD]]. | + | |
| - | * In [[Suggested Upper Merged Ontology|SUMO]], ''Entity'' is the root node and stands for the universal class of individuals. | + | |
| - | * In [[VHDL]], ''entity'' is the keyword for defining a new object. | + | |
| - | * An [[SGML entity|SGML]] ''entity'' is an abbreviation for some expanded piece of SGML text. | + | |
| - | * An [[open systems architecture]] ''entity'' is an active routine within a layer. | + | |
| - | * In [[Personal computer game|computer game]]s and [[game engine]]s, ''entity'' is a [[wikt:dynamic|dynamic]] object such as a [[non-player character]] or [[Item (gaming)|item]]. | + | |
| - | * In [[HTML]], ''entity'' is a code snippet (i.e.: "®" for "Registered Trademark") which is interpreted by web browsers to display special characters. See [[List of XML and HTML character entity references]]. | + | |
| - | * In [[law]], a [[Legal person|legal entity]] is an entity that is capable of bearing legal [[rights]] and [[obligation]]s, such as a [[natural person]] or an [[Legal person|artificial person]] (e.g. business entity or a corporate entity). | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==See also== | + | |
| * [[Boltzmann brain]], a hypothesized self-aware entity. | * [[Boltzmann brain]], a hypothesized self-aware entity. | ||
| * [[Digital identity]] | * [[Digital identity]] | ||
| + | * [[Entitativity]] | ||
| * [[Entity class]] | * [[Entity class]] | ||
| * [[Entity realism]], a form of [[scientific realism]]. | * [[Entity realism]], a form of [[scientific realism]]. | ||
| + | * [[Everything]] | ||
| + | * [[Non-physical entity]] | ||
| * [[Object (philosophy)]] | * [[Object (philosophy)]] | ||
| * [[Ontology]], the study of being, existence and entities | * [[Ontology]], the study of being, existence and entities | ||
| - | * [[Zionist entity]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 08:35, 29 April 2018
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An entity is something that exists as itself, as a subject or as an object, actually or potentially, concretely or abstractly, physically or not. It need not be of material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate, or present.
The word is abstract in intention. It may refer, for example, to Bucephalus, the horse of Alexander; to a stone; to a cardinal number; to a language; or to ghosts or other spirits.
The word entitative is the adjective form of the noun entity. Something that is entitative is considered in its own right.
Contents |
In philosophy
Ontology is the study of being, existence and the recognition of entities. The words ontic and entity are derived respectively from the ancient Greek and Latin present participles that mean "being".
In law
In law, a legal entity is an entity that is capable of bearing legal rights and obligations, such as a natural person or an artificial person (e.g. business entity or a corporate entity).
In politics
In politics, entity is used as term for territorial divisions of some countries (e.g. Bosnia and Herzegovina).
See also
- Boltzmann brain, a hypothesized self-aware entity.
- Digital identity
- Entitativity
- Entity class
- Entity realism, a form of scientific realism.
- Everything
- Non-physical entity
- Object (philosophy)
- Ontology, the study of being, existence and entities
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Entity" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
