more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 2407

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

Full Idea

Just because one can imagine that A and B are not identical, it does not follow that A and B are not identical (think of the morning star and the evening star).

Gist of Idea

One can wrongly imagine two things being non-identical even though they are the same (morning/evening star)

Source

David J.Chalmers (The Conscious Mind [1996], 2.4.1)

Book Ref

Chalmers,David J.: 'The Conscious Mind' [OUP 1997], p.130


The 10 ideas with the same theme [seems conceivable when not actually possible]:

Pythagoras' Theorem doesn't cease to be part of the essence of triangles just because we doubt it [Arnauld on Descartes]
We can imagine a point swelling and contracting - but not how this could be done [Hobbes]
Impossibilites are easily conceived in mathematics and geometry [Reid, by Molnar]
It is possible to conceive what is not possible [Shoemaker]
If Goldbach's Conjecture is true (and logically necessary), we may be able to conceive its opposite [Harré/Madden]
The impossible can be imagined as long as it is a bit vague [Lewis]
One can wrongly imagine two things being non-identical even though they are the same (morning/evening star) [Chalmers]
If claims of metaphysical necessity are based on conceivability, we should be cautious [Segal]
Conceivability may indicate possibility, but literary fantasy does not [Varzi]
Contradictory claims about a necessary god both seem apriori coherent [Schroeter]