Questions tagged [possible-worlds]
The possible-worlds tag has no usage guidance.
60
questions
0
votes
0answers
17 views
David Lewis and naturalism
I am studying Lewis and I am wondering what are the cornerstones of his philosophical perspective. In particular, I am wondering if Lewis is a naturalist like his supervisor Quine.
2
votes
0answers
41 views
Can a Rigid Designator still exist if there is only one possible world?
According to Kripke, a rigid designator is a pronoun (but not all pronouns are rigid designators) and they pick out the same unique individual in each possible world. I understand this, however, if ...
2
votes
0answers
115 views
Modal logics - philosophical paradoxes using modeling by possible worlds
I'm searching for "paradoxes" in classical modal logics, meaning lines of reasoning which give a counterintuitive conclusion if performed in classical logic, which can be modelled by the (semantical) ...
0
votes
1answer
263 views
Is there any physics-model version of Tegmark's hypothesis?
Tegmark's mathematical universe hypothesis is very interesting (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_universe_hypothesis) but it has virtually no support among physicists because it is too ...
-3
votes
2answers
86 views
Is it possible to mathematically define a hypercomputer-universe where things that could not be computed by it could exist? [duplicate]
There are a few physicists that propose that the universe is a hypercomputer. One example is Roger Penrose, who, basing in his quantum interpretation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
3
votes
0answers
95 views
Propositions that can't be used to distinguish possible worlds
Are there known ways of formalizing the notion of propositions that can't be targeted by counterfactuals in a coherent way? Or of propositions that are outside the scope of the framework in question?
...
3
votes
4answers
292 views
Can many worlds interpretation have universes with different laws?
The Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics is classified by Max Tegmark as a level-3 multiverse hypothesis. This means that in the universes that it will predict, there could be different ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
How does this anthropic principle argument from Schopenhauer make any sense?
According to a blog post This is what another universe looks like, "in Arthur Schopenhauer's 1844 work "Von der Nichtigkeit und dem Leiden des Lebens", he argues that our world must be the worst of ...
5
votes
0answers
108 views
Can Schmidhuber's hypothesis reproduce all types of universes? And Wheeler's it from bit? Or Weizsäcker's ur-theory?
I found a paper that talked about paraconsistent logic systems (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraconsistent_logic) and trivialist systems (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivialism) and the ...
2
votes
1answer
81 views
Does Tegmark himself include paraconsistent mathematical structures in his mathematical multiverse hypothesis?
Tegmark postulates in his hypothesis that all possible mathematical structures would exist. But does he include also possible mathematical structures described by other types of logic like ...
2
votes
2answers
290 views
Did David Deutsch really disprove the Simulation Hypothesis?
In The Fabric of Reality (1997) by David Deutsch, he says:
Imagine a computer built to render every possible Virtual Reality.
Suppose all possible environments produced by this generator can be
...
7
votes
2answers
346 views
Does Tegmark's Mathematical Universe hypothesis allow existence of alternative mathematics?
Tegmark's mathematical multiverse hypothesis assumes that all mathematical structures exist as universes
But do you know whether his hypothesis also allows/accept universes described by other types ...
5
votes
1answer
365 views
Can possible-but-non-actual objects have accidental properties?
The modal logic I am considering is the "Simplest Quantified Modal Logic" which combines first-order predicate logic with identity, with S5 in the most straightforward way, described here and slightly ...
1
vote
10answers
265 views
How could we get a world where only impossible things happen? [closed]
Imagine a universe where 1+1=3. This contradiction would trigger the effects of the principle of explosion, and thus, literally everything (possible and impossible things) could happen. If we lived in ...
4
votes
1answer
129 views
Is essentialism compatible with naturalism?
I am not an expert and I cannot understand why essentialism is incompatible with naturalism? Why scientific laws cannot describe essential properties of objects?
2
votes
2answers
101 views
What's the difference between logical modalities and physical modalities?
I am just wondering what's the difference between the two. I would say that there is something different, but honestly I can't define what it is exactly. What do you think?
1
vote
0answers
24 views
What is the Lange's viewpoint on laws of nature?
I am just wondering what is the Lange's philosophical perspective on laws of nature and what line of thought he follows in the contemporary debate.
4
votes
1answer
121 views
Do Alexius Meinong's impossible worlds describe all impossible worlds/things? [duplicate]
Does his impossible worlds category include (and can describe) literally all impossible things/worlds?
Inconsistencies, paradoxes, impossible solutions to problems (and impossible problems); really ...
4
votes
1answer
203 views
Why can we not reduce necessity to analyticity?
Why can’t we eliminate talk of necessity and possible worlds, for talk of analyticity and (non-modal) logical consistency? Has there been any attempt in recent times to do this? I'm not 100% sure, but ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
If we imagine a world that functions without causality, how absurd could it be?
If we assume that there's a universe that is devoid of causality, and if we assume that it isn't eternally static, would that mean that everything can happen because there are no reasons inhibiting ...
3
votes
7answers
226 views
Is there an idea of non-spatial reality in philosophy?
Our world is spatial. In particular there are 3 dimensions and we can measure lengths of objects in either of them.
However, when thinking about metaphysics I came to the conclusion that there might ...
3
votes
2answers
206 views
How does the concept of the 'virtual' (Deleuze) relate to 'counterfactuals' (Lewis)?
We read:
"[...] Deleuze will reject the notion of the possible in favor of that of the virtual. Rather than awaiting realization, the virtual is fully real; what happens in genesis is that the ...
5
votes
3answers
261 views
Ontological status of Axiom of Choice
Mathematical facts are necessary truths, either in a Platonic sense or by way of axioms. In the latter sense I mean that the Peano Axioms prove that 2+3=5, for example.
In other words, "PA ⊨ 2+3=5"...
2
votes
2answers
121 views
circularity of possibility defined over possible worlds
I have just checked similar questions that have been asked(and answered) before but I am still confused. How is it that the notion of possibility defined over as being True in some possible world not ...
3
votes
1answer
162 views
How to valuate (assign truth values to) a formula in modal logic (Kripke model)
A total novice here, and exasperated at that. I can translate natural language statements into formulae of modal logic, but their valuation in Kripke model seems elusive, as I'm simply unsure how to ...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
Truth that requires two possible worlds not causally linked
There is a clear example I have in mind of a modal transformer. The primary winding is in possible world, W1. The secondary winding is in possible world, W2. W1 and W2 are not causally linked in any ...
1
vote
3answers
83 views
What is the theory that existence, life, and/or consciousness arise simply because all possibilities must be exhausted, and this is one of them?
I distinctly recall reading a Wikipedia page listing multiple theories on the origin of existence itself. One in particular, described in the title, was fascinating and came to mind recently, but I ...
5
votes
4answers
211 views
Why does it matter if we live in “the best of all possible worlds”?
We can formalize the argument in this way:
There is good and evil.
The good tries with all its power to prevent the evil from doing more evil (otherwise the good wouldn't be the good).
A possible ...
0
votes
1answer
105 views
What is the explanatory power of Possible World Semantics?
What kind of problems is PWS particularly suited that e.g. FOL couldn't address? I'm just wondering when is a good time to use PWS and for what kinds of questions.
Thanks!
1
vote
2answers
193 views
In what sense are mathematical relations necessary?
I just stumbled upon the following statement:
(1) The number of discovered chemical elements is 118. Take the sentence "The number of chemical elements is necessarily greater than 100". Again, ...
0
votes
0answers
115 views
Real impossible worlds
What is the name of a/the metaphysic that affirms the reality of all worlds including impossible worlds?
Actualism denies the reality of all non-actual worlds, possibilism affirms the reality of all ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
Are analytic propositions always vacuously true?
In a possible world where there are no bachelors is the proposition "bachelors are unmarried" vacuously true? Or is it tautologically true and you would then need to quantify bachelors as "all ...
5
votes
1answer
256 views
Does semantic externalism imply modal realism?
Semantic externalism, or more broadly externalism about mental content, is the idea that propositions, intentions, attitudes, etc. derive their meaning from the external world as opposed to internally ...
2
votes
1answer
220 views
Consistency in Modal Metaphysics
I read this article Modal Metaphysics weeks ago, but one thing that struck and perplexed me was the definition of consistency offered in this article. According to this article, it seems that one ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Is there any way to represented nested modalities in alethic modal logic?
It is possible to represent simple statements involving possibility and necessity in alethic modal logic and possible world semantics. But consider a statement like "It is possible that it is ...
3
votes
1answer
401 views
Is there anyone who believes that all modal statements are meaningless or trivial?
It is often useful to interpret statements in various modal logics using possible-world semantics. For instance "it is necessary that P" means "P is true in all possible worlds", "it is possible that ...
3
votes
2answers
171 views
Defining logical possibility without circularity
In explaining logical possibility (broad), I tend to say that a thing is logically possible if it exists in some possible world, some possible description of reality, but in what sense is such a world/...
3
votes
1answer
141 views
Can one be a Modal Realist without also having to incorporate the existence of impossible worlds?
I know Modal Realism well enough itself, and have read many of the objections (and subsequent responses) that David Lewis himself took up in relation to the philosophical position.
My question is, do ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
The definition of a possible world
I have a two-part question about the definition of a possible world. I will make the assumption that time is tensed.
First of all, is a possible world a complete list of all propositions that are ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Can different varieties of modality be used with existential quantification?
I'm wondering if it makes sense to talk about worlds which aren't this one being real.
It seems like you can claim that something possibly exists.
Now I'm wondering, because it seems to amount to ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
Is there a symbolic formulation of modal realism?
Is there a symbolic formulation of modal realism, i.e. the doctrines of modal realism captured in some formal system?
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Help understanding possible world formalism
I am a total novice to philosophy trying to make sense of a computer science article which makes reference to possible world theory. I don't really understand the formalization in the last sentence ...
2
votes
1answer
98 views
Modal Realism: Possible Worlds spatio-temporally isolated?
In Lewis' 5th doctrine of possible worlds in modal realism it says:
Possible worlds are unified by the spatiotemporal interrelations of their parts; possible worlds are spatiotemporally isolated from ...
6
votes
2answers
122 views
Indiscernibility of possible worlds
According to Lewis, possible words are indiscernible from each other, that is, an individual in a possible world cannot say in which world it resides. It's somewhat similar to the indiscernibility of ...
2
votes
3answers
257 views
How to interpret “it is possible that x is impossible”?
The question is about the logical form of the sentence, x can be any object or process, actual infinity, tachyon, philosophical zombie, telepathy, etc. To conclude that x is impossible we are supposed ...
0
votes
2answers
243 views
Does Flatland exist according to modal realism?
Does Flatland exist according to modal realism, since it is a possible world?
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Time of Occurrence of Events
I'm wrestling with the notion of events in indeterministic worlds. Suppose that given an event type and a world we can in principle tell if the event occurs in that world. (Indeed we could represent ...
2
votes
3answers
7k views
What do necessity and possibility mean in Aquinas' Third Way argument for the existence of God?
In his famous Summa Theologica, the Scholastic theologian Thomas Aquinas presents Five Ways to demonstrate the existence of God. Here is Aquinas' Third Way, the argument from contigency:
The third ...
0
votes
1answer
148 views
Abstractionism about Possible Worlds and the Contingently Non-Concrete
Concretists about possible worlds say that possible worlds are concrete entities (usually some kind of mereological sum of concrete individuals). Abstractionists say that worlds are abstract things: ...
1
vote
1answer
506 views
Is the Ideal World a possible world? [closed]
Is there any sense in postulating that there is a way to reach a so called "Ideal World"? By Ideal World I mean, in a sense, the best of all possible worlds.
