Abstract

The aim of this paper is to point out the limitations of Hybrid Modal Realism as a general theory of modalities, i.e. one that gives an analysis of possibilities as well as impossibilities. To do so we will firstly sketch the goals that theories of impossible worlds should achieve. Secondly we will briefly present the two most popular accounts of impossibilities—Extended Modal Realism and Extended Ersatzism. We will focus on the aspects of both theories which became the motivation for a hybrid view. In the last part of this paper we will analyze Francesco Berto’s Hybrid Modal Realism and present reasons why this account is an insufficient tool for analyzing impossibilities.

Highlights

  • IntroductionOver the last two decades, interest in the analysis of impossibilities has been growing slowly but constantly

  • Over the last two decades, interest in the analysis of impossibilities has been growing slowly but constantly. Philosophers working on this issue have argued that a framework of exclusively possible worlds is insufficient for delivering a proper analysis of modalities in general

  • The idea of constructing impossibilities out of possibilities is present in various works,[12] in this paper we will focus on Hybrid Modal Realism (HMR), as defended by Francesco Berto (2010).[13]

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Summary

Introduction

Over the last two decades, interest in the analysis of impossibilities has been growing slowly but constantly. Philosophers working on this issue have argued that a framework of exclusively possible worlds is insufficient for delivering a proper analysis of modalities in general. Axiomathes (2015) 25:515–531 over the nature of impossible worlds are (as in the case of possible worlds) concretism and abstractionism. As a result of this difficulty, a new hybrid view has been developed, according to which possible worlds are spatiotemporal objects, while impossible worlds should be considered abstract constructions of possible worlds. Since the idea and the motivation behind the hybrid view are interesting, it is worth examining this account from the perspective of the aims of the analysis of impossibilities

Work for Impossible Worlds
Metaphysics of Impossible Worlds
Hybrid Modal Realism
Too Few Impossibilities
Counterintuitive Counterpossibles
Alternative Theories

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