Single Idea 18496

[catalogued under 10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 1. Possible Worlds / e. Against possible worlds]

Full Idea

If the other possible worlds are merely useful fictions, we are left wondering what the truthmakers for all those modal judgements might be.

Gist of Idea

If possible worlds are just fictions, they can't be truthmakers for modal judgements

Source

John Heil (The Universe as We Find It [2012], 08.07)

Book Reference

Heil,John: 'The Universe as We Find It' [OUP 2012], p.169


A Reaction

I suddenly see that this is the train of thought that led me to believe in real powers and dispositions, and which retrospectively led me to love the truthmaker idea. Even real Lewisian worlds don't seem adequate as truthmakers here.

Related Ideas

Idea 18497 Many reject 'moral realism' because they can't see any truthmakers for normative judgements [Heil]

Idea 18498 Abstract objects wouldn't be very popular without the implicit idea of truthmakers [Heil]