The laws of modality

Philosophical Studies 179 (8):2597-2618 (2022)
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Abstract

Nomic realists have traditionally put laws to work within a theory of natural modality, in order to provide a metaphysical source for causal necessitation, counterfactuals, and dispositions. However, laws are well-suited to perform other work as well. Necessitation is a widespread phenomenon and includes cases of categorial, conceptual, grounding, mathematical and normative necessitation. A permissive theory of universals allows us to extend nomic realism into these other domains. With a particular focus on grounding necessitation, it is argued that the sorts of reasons for positing laws in the natural causal domain also apply in other domains. Laws might well be the source of all first-order modality.

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Matthew Tugby
Durham University

Citations of this work

Against relationalism about modality.Carlos Romero - 2023 - Philosophical Studies 180 (8):2245-2274.
Grounding, Necessity, and Relevance.Salim Hireche - 2023 - Philosophical Studies:1-22.

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