A Dilemma About Necessity

Authors: Peter W Hanks

Publish Date: 2007/09/21

Volume: 68, Issue: 1, Pages: 129-148

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Abstract

The problem of the source of necessity is the problem of explaining what makes necessary truths necessarily true Simon Blackburn has presented a dilemma intended to show that any reductive realist account of the source of necessity is bound to fail Although Blackburns dilemma faces serious problems reflection on the form of explanations of necessities reveals that a revised dilemma succeeds in defeating any reductive account of the source of necessity The lesson is that necessity is metaphysically primitive and irreducibleEarlier versions of this paper were presented at the Northwest Philosophy Conference at Reed College in Oct 2003 the Central Division APA in April 2004 the Joint Session of the Mind/Aristotelian Society in July 2004 and Dorit BarOn’s seminar on realism and antirealism at UNC Chapel Hill in Oct 2006 I am grateful to the audiences at these presentations Special thanks to Simon Blackburn Barry Stroud two anonymous referees and Maria Francisca Reines

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