Abstraction and Abstractness

Our aim is to overcome some counterexamples to the classical criteria of abstractness; this can be done, we argue, by considering another fundamental metaphysical distinction, that is, the distinction between dependent and independent entities. By including it in the framework we are able to cast some light on the relationship between abstractness criteria based on the negation of some features of concrete objects (metaphysical criteria) and abstractness criteria based on Frege’s Abstraction Principles (logico-semantical criteria).