Single Idea 9481

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 6. Logical Necessity]

Full Idea

I do not regard logical necessitation as a kind of necessity. It is logically possible that George Orwell is not Eric Blair, but in what sense is this any kind of possibility? It arises from having two names, but that confers no genuine possibility.

Gist of Idea

Logical necessitation is not a kind of necessity; George Orwell not being Eric Blair is not a real possibility

Source

Alexander Bird (Nature's Metaphysics [2007], 3.1.2)

Book Reference

Bird,Alexander: 'Nature's Metaphysics' [OUP 2007], p.48


A Reaction

How refreshing. All kinds of concepts like this are just accepted by philosophers as obvious, until someone challenges them. The whole undergrowth of modal thinking needs a good flamethrower taken to it.