Abstract

The problem at stake: Can the scholastic notion of contingency be put in correspondence with a concept drawn from the conceptual equipment of the modern sciences in such a way that this time-honoured concept may be useful in our thinking about the world? It appears that the evolution of the idea constitutes something of a bridge connecting the medieval idea of contingency with the current scientific context, namely thinking about the place of humankind in the universe and the problem of the beginning of the universe. The current scientific context in this respect is shaped by the concept of the multiverse. One can say that in current cosmological speculations, a single universe can be regarded as contingent, because it has no explanation, while the multiverse can be regarded as non-contingent, because it does not need any explanation. We discuss the correctness of this reasoning together with certain connected theological aspects.