Single Idea 4577

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 11. Denial of Necessity]

Full Idea

In principle I see no higher or more austere necessity than natural necessity; and in natural necessity, or our attribution of it, I see only Hume's regularities

Clarification

'Natural necessity' is bound by the laws of nature

Gist of Idea

There is no necessity higher than natural necessity, and that is just regularity

Source

Willard Quine (Necessary Truth [1963], p.76)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ways of Paradox and other essays' [Harvard 1976], p.76


A Reaction

Presumably this allows logical necessity as a 'lower' necessity, but denies 'metaphysical' necessity, in line with Hume and other tough empiricists. Personally I adore metaphysical necessities, but they are a bit hard to establish conclusively.