Single Idea 18479

[catalogued under 3. Truth / B. Truthmakers / 6. Making Negative Truths]

Full Idea

We recognise that what makes it true that there is no oil in this engine is different from what makes it true that there are no dodos left.

Gist of Idea

There are different types of truthmakers for different types of negative truth

Source

Fraser MacBride (Truthmakers [2013], 2.1.4.1)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.14


A Reaction

This looks like a local particular negation up against a universal negation. I'm not sure there is a big difference between 'my dodo's gone missing' (like my oil), and 'all the dodos have gone permanently missing'.