Combining Texts

Ideas for 'The Rationality of Science', 'Letters to Coste' and 'The Fourth Revolution'

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2 ideas

10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 1. Sources of Necessity

3867	De re necessity arises from the way the world is [Newton-Smith]
	Full Idea: A necessary truth is 'de re' if its necessity arises from the way the world is.
	From: W.H. Newton-Smith (The Rationality of Science [1981], VII.6)

10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 1. Possible Worlds / a. Possible worlds

19434	There may be a world where dogs smell their game at a thousand leagues [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: There will perhaps be a world in which dogs will have sufficiently good noses to scent their game at a thousand leagues.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Coste [1707], 1707)
	A reaction: Wonderful. This should immediately replace Lewis's much repeated example of a world containing a talking donkey. We should always honour the first person to suggest an idea. That is one of the motivations for this collection of ideas.