Single Idea 10258

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

Full Idea

For many philosophers the logical notions of possibility and necessity are exceptions to a general scepticism, perhaps because they have been reduced to model theory, via set theory. Thus Φ is logically possible if there is a model that satisfies it.

Gist of Idea

Logical modalities may be acceptable, because they are reducible to satisfaction in models

Source

Stewart Shapiro (Philosophy of Mathematics [1997], 7.1)

Book Reference

Shapiro,Stewart: 'Philosophy of Mathematics:structure and ontology' [OUP 1997], p.216


A Reaction

Initially this looks a bit feeble, like an empiricist only believing what they actually see right now, but the modern analytical philosophy project seems to be the extension of logical accounts further and further into what we intuit about modality.