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Single Idea 13172

[filed under theme 10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / c. Possible but inconceivable ]

Full Idea

It does not follow that what we can't imagine does not exist.

Gist of Idea

What we cannot imagine may still exist

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Johann Bernoulli [1699], 1698.11.18)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Essays', ed/tr. Arlew,R /Garber,D [Hackett 1989], p.168

A Reaction

This just establishes the common sense end of the debate - that you cannot just use your imagination as the final authority on what exists, or what is possible.

The 6 ideas with the same theme [possibe despite not being conceivable]:

14039 Above and below us will never appear to be the same, because it is inconceivable [Epicurus]
13172 What we cannot imagine may still exist [Leibniz]
3802 Why pronounce impossible what you cannot imagine? [Dennett]
3903 The conceivable can't be a test of the possible, if there are things which are possible but inconceivable [Scruton]
17958 The apparently metaphysically possible may only be epistemically possible [Vetter]
19268 Inconceivability (implying impossibility) may be failure to conceive, or incoherence [Vaidya]