more from Arthur Schopenhauer

Single Idea 4192

[catalogued under 10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 1. Sources of Necessity]

Full Idea

Necessity has no meaning other than the irresistible sequence of the effect where the cause is given. All necessity is thus conditioned, and absolute or unconditioned necessity is a contradiction in terms.

Gist of Idea

All necessity arises from causation, which is conditioned; there is no absolute or unconditioned necessity

Source

Arthur Schopenhauer (Abstract of 'The Fourfold Root' [1813], Ch.VIII)

Book Reference

Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'The World as Will and Idea', ed/tr. Berman,Jill and David [Everyman 1995], p.274


A Reaction

I.e. there is only natural necessity, and no such thing as metaphysical necessity. But what about logical necessity(e.g. 2+3=5)? I think there may be metaphysical necessity, but we can't know much about it, and we are over-confident in assessing it.