Timothy williamson, university of oxford, philosophy department, faculty member. Contemporary investigations of modality started as study of modal logic. Section 3 presents williamsons argument in support of the conclusion that modal knowledge is a special case of counterfactual knowledge. Modal logic as metaphysics by timothy williamson overdrive. Between them, the chapters address fundamental questions. Modal logic in the sense that interests williamson is a branch of modal metaphysics that studies the sufficiently general truths about metaphysical modality 92.
To answer this question, williamson surveys and critically evaluates a vast array of formulations of quanti. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read modal logic as metaphysics. Modal logic is, strictly speaking, the study of the deductive behavior of the expressions it is necessary that and it is possible that. A prominent example is the principle called the barcan formula, after work done by. Ambitious new work by one of the worlds leading philosophers. Williamson aims to show how, in particular, the model theory of qml bears on a substantive, if highly abstract. Modal logic as metaphysics, timothy williamson argues for positive answers to those questions on the basis of an integrated approach to the issues, applying thetechnical resources of modal logic to provide structural cores for metaphysical theories. For necessitists, the models for first order quantified model.
Pdf williamson on modality download full pdf book download. T1 th e diff erences in subject matt er between philosophy and other. One can show that s i is automatically a normal modal logic in the usual sense, by the assumption that l i commutes with conjunction. Selections from platonism and antiplatonism in mathematics hamkins. For example, the statement john is happy might be qualified by saying that john is usually happy, in which. Modal metaphysics concerns the metaphysical underpinning of our modal statements. Lewiss view of the relation between modal metaphysics and modal logic couldnt be more different. Modal logic as metaphysics by timothy williamson books on.
Download pdf logicandmetaphysics free online new books. The book provides a rigorous introduction to the technical backgroundfor example, concerning possible worlds semantics for modal logic and the interpretation of higherorder quantifersneeded to understand metaphysical questions in modal logic, as well as an extended argument for specific answers to them. Williamsons arguments are primarily contrastivehe contends that a modal logic with necessitist theorems is stronger, simpler, less ad hoc, and. In modal logic as metaphysics, timothy williamson argues for positive answers to are there future people, who have not yet been conceived. Pdf modal logic as metaphysics download full pdf book. Model theory and contingent existence princeton university. The central thesis of williamsons wonderful book modal logic as metaphysics is necessitism. Pdf modal logic as metaphysics martin vacek academia.
If logic and metaphysics appear disjoint, the reason is not just the lingering spell of a logical positivist conception of. Timothy williamson, modal logic as metaphysics philpapers. These are statements about what is possible or what is necessarily so. Download modal logic as metaphysics pdf search engine. Modal logic as metaphysics pdf epub download cause of you. Timothy williamson gives an original and provocative treatment of deep metaphysical questions about existence, contingency, and change, using the latest resources of quantified modal logic. Timothy williamson tw has been the wykeham professor of logic at oxford since 2000. One of the pleasing aspects of the book is the importance williamson attaches to expressing views about the nature of modality in the language of modal predicate logic. Williamson, 19789, 1990, 1998, 2000a, 2000b, 2002, 2010, 20, forthcoming barcan formulas in secondorder modal logic. Modal logic as metaphysics ebook written by timothy williamson.
Introduction in this article, we canvass a few of the interesting topics that philosophers can pursue as part of the simultaneous study of logic and metaphysics. The epistemology of modality stanford encyclopedia of. His work in these areas has been particularly influential in shaping debates about metaphysical modality, which is the topic of his recent provocative and closelyargued book modal logic as metaphysics 20. Here i argue that the two central claims of his account are rooted in unsubstantiated empirical assumptions.
This is a course on metamodality the epistemology, metaphysics, and semantics of modal discourse. Necessitism 8x29yy x everything necessarily is something. In a series of writings timothy williamson has argued for necessitism cf. This paper shows that contingentists are no worse off than necessitists in this. Modal logic as metaphysics by timothy williamson, 9780198709435, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In modal logic as metaphysics, timothy williamson develops a case for necessitism, the theory that necessarily everything necessarily exists.
Consider one of the most obvious things about the sun. If so, are they irreducible, or can modal facts be explained in other terms. Timothy williamson is one of the most influential living philosophers working in the areas of logic and metaphysics. A modala word that expresses a modalityqualifies a statement. Modal logic as metaphysics by timothy williamson books. A modal is an expression like necessarily or possibly that is used to qualify the truth of a judgement. He has also published numerousarticleson epistemology, philosophyoflanguage, philosophy of logic and metaphysics. Williamson aims to show how, in particular, the model theory of qml bears on a substantive, if highly abstract, dispute in modal metaphysics.
Jan 14, 2014 one of the pleasing aspects of the book is the importance williamson attaches to expressing views about the nature of modality in the language of modal predicate logic. The philosophy of modality is the area in which one studies the metaphysics, semantics, epistemology, and logic of modal claimsthat is, claims about what is necessary, possible, contingent, essential, and accidental. A prominent example is the principle called the barcan formula, after work done by ruth barcan marcus in the mid1940s. Methodology the title of this book may sound to some readers like good as evil, or perhaps cabbages as kings. Foundations of modal metaphysics columbia university. Timothy williamson, modal logic as metaphysics, oxford university press, 20, 464pp. Download logicandmetaphysics ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub. Foundations of modal metaphysics phil c3912 fall 2015 friday 24pm description. Studies philosophy, philosophy of language, and epistemology. Selections from modal logic as metaphysics objectivity december 11 objectivity term paper due today modal pluralism clarkedoane. Timothy williamson, in modal logic as metaphysics, contends that contingentists must view the possible worlds semantics for quantified modal logic with a jaundiced eye. Williamsons modal logic as metaphysics ted sider modality seminar 1.
Modal metaphysics internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Lewiss view of the relation between modal metaphysics. In this seminar, we will discuss foundational questions in the theory of metaphysical possibility. Syntax and proof theory came first, and semantics and model theory followed. Reviewed by takashi yagisawa, california state university, northridge. Timothy williamsons important book modal logic as metaphysics is an extended defense of necessitism.
Modal logic is historically the earliest area in the study of intensional logic, originally motivated by formalizing necessity and possibility recently, this original motivation belongs to alethic logic, just one of the many branches of modal logic. Modal logic as metaphysics pdf epub download cause of. However, the term modal logic may be used more broadly for a family of. What kind of intensional logic do we really wantneed. We can construe the primary question of modal metaphysics as, when we make a statement about what is possible or necessary, what determines the truth or falsity of the. It is di cult to nd an extended, fullthroated defense of neutralism in the literature. Timothy williamsons modal logic as metaphysics is an. Section 2 addresse s williamsons account of knowledge of counterfactuals. In modal logic as metaphysics, timothy williamson argues for positive answers to those questions on the basis of an integrated approach to the issues, applying the technical resources of modal logic to provide structural cores for metaphysical theories. Between them, the chapters address fundamental questions concerning realism and antirealism about modality, the nature and basis of facts about what is possible and what is necessary, the nature of modal knowledge, modal logic and its relations to necessary existence and to counterfactual reasoning. Put roughly and vividly, necessitism says that everything necessarily exists. Modal logic as metaphysics kindle edition by williamson. Modal logic as metaphysics hardcover timothy williamson. Pdf download williamson on modality free ebooks pdf.
Access to this document requires a subscription or membership. Questions like those raise deep issues about both the nature of being and its logical relations with contingency and change. Is the notion of metaphysical possibility intelligible. To characterize the relevant standard of generality, williamson introduces the notion of metaphysical universality 9293. He rejects the search for a metaphysically neutral logic as futile. Modal logic as metaphysics timothy williamson download. Modal logic as metaphysics the philosophical quarterly. The philosophy of modality investigates necessity and possibility, and related notions are they objective features of mindindependent reality. Philosophers have long been interested in how a modal claim can be known, justified, or understood. Modal logic is an extension of classic propositional and predicate logic that allows the use of modal operators. Modal logic is a type of formal logic primarily developed in the 1960s that extends classical propositional and predicate logic to include operators expressing modality. His books include vagueness routledge, 1994, knowledge and its limits oxford, 2000, and the philosophy of philosophy blackwell, 2007. For example, the statement john is happy might be qualified by saying that john is usually happy, in which case the term usually is functioning as a modal.
This book presents new work on modality by established leaders in the field and by upandcoming philosophers. Jan 01, 20 in modal logic as metaphysics, timothy williamson argues for positive answers to are there future people, who have not yet been conceived. Contrary to the widespread assumption that logic and metaphysics are disjoint, he argues that modal logic provides a structural core for metaphysics. Modal science to appear in canadian journal of philosophy.