If a program has a name for an object, does that mean that an object really exists?

A good answer might be:

No. Just because there is a name for an object does not mean an object exists.

A variable that can refer to an object does not always have an object to refer to. For example, in our program the variable str1 refers to an object only after the new operator has created one.

class stringTester
{

  public static void main ( String[] args )
  {
    String str1;   // str1 is a variable that refers to an object, 
                   // but the object does not exist yet.
    int    len;    // len is a primitive variable of type int

    str1 = new String("Random Jottings");  // create an object of type String
                                                           
    len  = str1.length();  // invoke the object's method length()

    System.out.println("The string is " + len + " characters long");
  }
}

Before the new operator did its work, str1 was a "place holder" that did not actually refer to any object. After the new operator created the object, str1 can be used to refer to the object.

QUESTION 8:

What object is being referred to in the statement:

                                                          
    len  = str1.length();  // invoke the object's method length()