Does Fiction Exist? (ft. Harry Potter) | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

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We all know who Harry Potter is, and can conjure an image of him in our minds. There are specific properties that make a Harry THE Harry (glasses, scar, wand, etc), so it's safe to say that we're all sharing a consistent idea. But do these physical properties mean that Harry Potter EXISTS? Harry Potter doesn't have a physical referent, but the fact that we collectively KNOW Harry Potter (or Hermoine, Ron, or even Batman for that matter), doesn't that mean there's SOME SORT of existence? Watch the episode and find out!
On WotW Faked Outrage: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/history/2013/10/orson_welles_war_of_the_worlds_panic_myth_the_infamous_radio_broadcast_did.html

More from Mike & Anthony:
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Sources

Kripke - Naming and Necessity
Kripke - Vacuous Names and Fictional Entites
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosphy: Fiction -- plato.stanford.edu/entries/fiction/

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Music:

"Europe" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net)
"Carry on Carillon" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net)
Level 5: Room for the Homeless
http://bit.ly/10N0Ykm
"Bouncy Castle" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net)
":P" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net)
Binaerpilot "Geeks"
http://bit.ly/10N0UBf
"Squarehead" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net)
Chiptune - Kenzalol
http://bit.ly/15vKwpN
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Want some more Idea Channel?

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http://youtu.be/1dsXG8od4Ss

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http://youtu.be/xSUuO84BTSA

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