more from Willard Quine

Single Idea 8483

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 11. Denial of Necessity]

Full Idea

The very notion of necessity makes sense to me only relative to context. Typically it is applied to what is assumed in an inquiry, as against what has yet to transpire.

Gist of Idea

Necessity is relative to context; it is what is assumed in an inquiry

Source

Willard Quine (Intensions Revisited [1977], p.121)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Theories and Things' [Harvard 1981], p.121


A Reaction

Lots of things are assumed by an inquiry without an assumption that they must be true. Quine is the greatest opponent of necessity in all of philosophy. Asserting necessities, though, is too much fun to give up. It would ruin philosophy.