An abstract object is an object that does not exist at any particular time or place, but rather exists as a type of thing—i.e., an idea, or abstraction. The term abstract object is said to have been coined by Willard Van Orman Quine. The study of abstract objects is called abstract object theory (AOT).

Are abstract things real?

Abstract things are sometimes defined as those things that do not exist in reality or exist only as sensory experiences, like the color red. ... For example, it is difficult to agree to whether concepts like God, the number three, and goodness are real, abstract, or both.

Do abstract ideas exist?

Abstract ideas are defined by the thinker who is capable of describing them. It is possible that this thinker may never use spoken language to share the idea but they must, in some form, use language to conceptualize it themselves. It may also be said that abstract ideas do not exist independently of their description.