Existential Presupposition
Pattern
Definite reference→entity exists — existence assumed by reference
Definition
The assumption that entities referred to in an utterance actually exist. Triggered by definite descriptions, possessives, and proper names.
Examples
Example 1
'The king of France is bald.' — presupposes that there is a king of France. If there is no king, the presupposition fails and the sentence is neither true nor false.
AI Detection Note
AI often generates existential presuppositions without verifying them — referring to 'the established consensus' or 'the well-known principle' when no such consensus or principle may exist.
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