Topics in the Philosophy of Possible Worlds

by Nolan,Daniel

• ISBN13: 9780815340515
• ISBN10: 0815340516
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-02-08
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book discusses a range of important issues in current philosophical work on the nature of possible worlds. Areas investigated include the theories of the nature of possible worlds, general questions about metaphysical analysis and questions about the direction of dependence between what is necessary or possible and what could be.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Introduction	1	(1)
The General Approach	2	(3)
Possible Worlds	5	(24)
What are ``Possible Worlds''?	5	(14)
The Competing Theories of Possible Worlds	19	(10)
Towards Explaining the Connection Between Modality And Possible Worlds	29	(22)
What Might the Connection between Possible Worlds Talk and Modal Operator Talk be?	30	(4)
The Primitives of a Theory	34	(9)
Modal Primitives	43	(8)
Expressive Completeness Without Possible Worlds The Hazen Cases	51	(26)
Neutral Quantification	52	(3)
The First Three Hazen Cases: Problems of Existence	55	(5)
Hazen Case Number Four: A Case to be Set Aside	60	(2)
Two Challenging Hazen Cases	62	(5)
Defending The Use of Second-Order QML	67	(10)
Problems For `Strong' Modal Fictionalism	77	(18)
Three Varieties of Modal Fictionalism: Broad, Timid and Strong	79	(2)
The First Problem: Artificiality	81	(5)
The Second Problem: The Incompleteness of the Modal Fiction	86	(2)
The Third Problem: Propositions	88	(4)
An Assumption Relied on by the Incompleteness Objections, and a Defence Thereof	92	(1)
A Final Problem: Redundancy	93	(1)
Conclusion	93	(2)
Representing Aliens	95	(36)
The Problem	96	(2)
Denials that the Problem Arises	98	(2)
Explaining the Caveat ``Not Constructible out of Existing Universals''	100	(4)
How to Represent Alien Universals	104	(3)
The Problem for Linguistic Ersatzism and Modal Fictionalism	107	(8)
Making Sure the World-Book Represents the Actual Universe	115	(5)
From Universes to Worlds-Salvaging Ersatz Worlds from the Inter-Definition	120	(6)
How a Linguistic Ersatzer Can Reply to Lewis's Objection Based on Alien Universals	126	(2)
Conclusion	128	(3)
Recombination Unbound	131	(20)
The Principle of Recombination and Lewis's Restriction	131	(2)
The Forrest/Armstrong Argument	133	(6)
How Possibilia Can be Seen as Forming a Proper Class	139	(7)
Some Arguments Against the Thesis that there is a Maximum Size of Worlds (MS)	146	(2)
Conclusion	148	(3)
A Reduction Of Classes To Possible Worlds	151	(24)
The State-of Play in Lewis's System	152	(7)
How Atoms Can Perform Double Duty	159	(6)
A Surprising Feature of the Account	165	(4)
Utilising the Surprising Feature	169	(6)
Recapitulation	175	(4)
Appendix One Proofs For Chapter Seven	179	(16)
Section 1: Proving that My Systems Satisfy Lewis's So-Called ``Standard Axioms''	179	(14)
Section 2: Proofs of Impredicative Comprehension	193	(2)
Appendix Two Trouble For Lewis's ``Main Thesis''	195	(6)
The Problem	195	(2)
The Model	197	(3)
The Remedy	200	(1)
References	201	(6)
Index	207