Single Idea 15033

[catalogued under 10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 4. Necessity from Concepts]

Full Idea

Why are logical (or mathematical, or analytic...) truths necessary? The Humean's answer is that this is just how our concept of necessity works.

Gist of Idea

Humeans says mathematics and logic are necessary because that is how our concept of necessity works

Source

Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 12.11)

Book Reference

Sider,Theodore: 'Writing the Book of the World' [OUP 2011], p.288


A Reaction

This is why I (unlike Sider) am not a Humean. If we agreed that 'necessary' meant 'whatever is decreed by the Pope', that would so obviously not be necessary that we would have to start searching nature for true necessities.