Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Lynch,MP/Glasgow,JM, Thomas Hofweber and Rayo,A/Uzquiasno,G

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these philosophers

display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers


1 idea

10. Modality / B. Possibility / 9. Counterfactuals
Counterfactuals are essential for planning, and learning from mistakes [Hofweber]
     Full Idea: Counterfactuals are important for reasoning about the past and to plan for the future. If we want to learn from our mistakes, it is important to think about what would have happened if I had done things differently.
     From: Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 13.4.1)
     A reaction: A thought also found in Tim Williamson, but not the sort of thing you hear from Lewis or Stalnaker. It is a nice example of how highly abstract and theoretical problems need to be slotted into human psychology.