Single Idea 8434

[catalogued under 10. Modality / B. Possibility / 9. Counterfactuals]

Full Idea

According to Lewis, a counterfactual holds when the consequent is true in possible worlds very like our own except for the fact that the antecedent is true.

Gist of Idea

In good counterfactuals the consequent holds in world like ours except that the antecedent is true

Source

report of David Lewis (Counterfactuals [1973]) by Paul Horwich - Lewis's Programme p.213

Book Reference

'Causation', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Tooley,M. [OUP 1993], p.213


A Reaction

Presumably the world being very like our own would make it unlikely that there would be anything else to cause the consequent, apart from the counterfactual antecedent.