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Single Idea 14371

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

Full Idea

Together with a definition of possibility and necessity in terms of counterfactuals, the powers semantics of counterfactuals generates a semantics for modality that appeals to causal powers and not possible worlds.

Gist of Idea

We can base counterfactuals on powers, not possible worlds, and hence define necessity

Source

Jonathan D. Jacobs (A Powers Theory of Modality [2010], §1)

Book Ref

-: 'Philosophical Studies' [-], p.2

A Reaction

Wonderful. Just what the doctor ordered. The only caveat is that if we say that reality is built up from fundamental powers, then might those powers change their character without losing their identity (e.g. gravity getting weaker)?

The 17 ideas with the same theme [necessity comes from the essence of actual things]:

22505 The two right angles of a triangle necessitate that a quadrilateral has four [Aristotle]
12612 Some things have external causes of their necessity; others (the simple) generate necessities [Aristotle]
15108 Aristotle's says necessary truths are distinct and derive from essential truths [Aristotle, by Koslicki]
17182 Necessity is in reference to essence or to cause [Spinoza]
5447 Metaphysical necessities are true in virtue of the essences of things [Ellis]
13570 Individual essences necessitate that individual; natural kind essences necessitate kind membership [Ellis]
11162 Socrates is necessarily distinct from the Eiffel Tower, but that is not part of his essence [Fine,K]
11168 Metaphysical necessities are true in virtue of the nature of all objects [Fine,K]
15070 It is the nature of Socrates to be a man, so necessarily he is a man [Fine,K]
5449 Essentialism is often identified with belief in 'de re' necessary truths [Mautner]
18502 If basic physics has natures, then why not reality itself? That would then found the deepest necessities [Heil]
16543 If an essence implies p, then p is an essential truth, and hence metaphysically necessary [Lowe]
16544 Metaphysical necessity is either an essential truth, or rests on essential truths [Lowe]
19276 The big challenge for essentialist views of modality is things having necessary existence [Hale]
19293 Essentialism doesn't explain necessity reductively; it explains all necessities in terms of a few basic natures [Hale]
19294 If necessity derives from essences, how do we explain the necessary existence of essences? [Hale]
14371 We can base counterfactuals on powers, not possible worlds, and hence define necessity [Jacobs]