1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910463852503321

Autore

Steinberg Alexander <1979->

Titolo

A chance for possibility : an investigation into the grounds of modality / / Alexander Steinberg

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Boston : , : De Gruyter, , [2013]

©2013

ISBN

3-11-033823-8

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (276 p.)

Collana

Philosophische analyse / philosophical analysis ; ; 51

Disciplina

160

Soggetti

Modality (Logic)

Possibility

Realism

Supervenience (Philosophy)

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Supervenience -- Chapter 3. Concrete Possible Worlds -- Chapter 4. Abstract Possible Worlds -- Chapter 5. Possibility and Probability -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- Appendix A. Non-Nominal Quantification -- Name Index -- Bibliography

Sommario/riassunto

A Chance for Possibility defends the view that the objective modal realm is tripartite: truths about possible worlds supervene on modal truths, which in turn supervene on truths about objective chances. An understanding of supervenience in terms of grounding is developed which - unlike the standard modal characterization - allows the question of what modal truths supervene on to have a non-trivial answer. Relying on this understanding, a negative result is established: modal truths do not supervene on truths about possible worlds, whether possible worlds are conceived of as Lewisian concreta or as abstract objects of some kind. Instead, a conception of pleonastic possible worlds is developed that reverses the direction of supervenience. On the basis of linguistic considerations concerning our use of natural language 'might' and 'might have' sentences, Steinberg



finally argues that truths about objective chances are able to provide a supervenience base for modal truths. A Chance for Possibility is an investigation in analytic metaphysics, drawing on related work in the philosophy of logic and language as well as linguistics. It provides a detailed case study for the fruitful use of a notion of grounding in the clarification and evaluation of longstanding philosophical issues.