Single Idea 19276

[catalogued under 10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 6. Necessity from Essence]

Full Idea

Whether the essentialist theory can account for all absolute necessities depends in part on whether the theory can explain the necessities of existence (of certain objects, properties and entities).

Gist of Idea

The big challenge for essentialist views of modality is things having necessary existence

Source

Bob Hale (Necessary Beings [2013], Intro)

Book Reference

Hale,Bob: 'Necessary Beings' [OUP 2013], p.5


A Reaction

Hale has a Fregean commitment to all sorts of abstract objects, and then finds difficulty in explaining them from his essentialist viewpoint. His book didn't convince me. I'm more of a nominalist, me, so I sleep better at nights.