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Full Idea
Truthmaker makes it impossible simply to remove an entity. One must always replace it with something else; namely, a truthmaker for the claim that that entity does not exist.
Gist of Idea
Truthmaker says if an entity is removed, some nonexistence truthmaker must replace it
Source
Trenton Merricks (Truth and Ontology [2007], 4.I-3)
Book Ref
Merricks,Trenton: 'Truth and Ontology' [OUP 2007], p.71
A Reaction
This is a particularly strong and persuasive argument from Merricks against the truthmaker view. Clearly the truthmaker for non-existence can't be there when it exists, and the destruction bringing the negative truthmaker into existence sounds odd.
| 18367 | A true existence statement has its truth caused by the existence of the thing [Aristotle] |
| 15134 | The truthmaker principle requires some specific named thing to make the difference [Williamson] |
| 18355 | What matters is truth-making (not truth-makers) [David] |
| 15012 | Orthodox truthmaker theories make entities fundamental, but that is poor for explanation [Sider] |
| 14395 | If a ball changes from red to white, Truthmaker says some thing must make the change true [Merricks] |
| 14398 | Truthmaker says if an entity is removed, some nonexistence truthmaker must replace it [Merricks] |
| 14403 | If Truthmaker says each truth is made by the existence of something, the theory had de re modality at is core [Merricks] |
| 13247 | A truthmaker is an object which entails a sentence [Beall/Restall] |