Single Idea 16287

[catalogued under 10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 2. Nature of Possible Worlds / b. Worlds as fictions]

Full Idea

An ersatz world must be maximally consistent (hence destroyed by an additional sentences), …but that is prima facie a modal distinction: a set of sentences is consistent iff those sentences, as interpreted, could all be true together.

Clarification

'prima facie' means at first glance

Gist of Idea

Maximal consistency for a world seems a modal distinction, concerning what could be true together

Source

David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 3.2)

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [Blackwell 2001], p.151


A Reaction

This is indicative of Lewis's motivation for his project, which is to eliminate modal facts from the world. Only a vast multitude of non-modal concrete worlds can satisfy all the contraints. Cf many-worlds quantum mechanics for non-locality.