back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 19031

[from 'Potentiality' by Barbara Vetter, in 10. Modality / B. Possibility / 4. Potentiality ]

Full Idea

Potentialities are 'potentialities to ....', while possibilities are 'possibilities that ....'.

Gist of Idea

There are potentialities 'to ...', but possibilities are 'that ....'.

Source

Barbara Vetter (Potentiality [2015], 6.4)

Book Reference

Vetter,Barbara: 'Potentiality: from Dispositions to Modality' [OUP 2015], p.207


A Reaction

This feels a bit like a stipulation, rather than a precise description of normal usage. That said, it is quite a nice distinction. It sounds as if an event follows a potentiality, and a state of affairs follows a possibility. Active and passive?