more from Ian Rumfitt

Single Idea 12200

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 6. Logical Necessity]

Full Idea

There is no reason to suppose that any statement that is logically necessary (in the present sense) is knowable a priori. ..If a statement is logically necessary, its negation will yield a contradiction, but that does not imply that someone could know it.

Gist of Idea

A logically necessary statement need not be a priori, as it could be unknowable

Source

Ian Rumfitt (Logical Necessity [2010], §2)

Book Reference

'Modality', ed/tr. Hale,B/Hoffman,A [OUP 2010], p.44


A Reaction

This remark is aimed at Dorothy Edgington, who holds the opposite view. Rumfitt largely defends McFetridge's view (q.v.).