Knowing how things might have been

Jago, Mark

Abstract

I know that I could have been where you are right now and that you could have been where I am right now, but that neither of us could have been turnips or natural numbers. This knowledge of metaphysical modality stands in need of explanation. I will offer an account based on our knowledge of the natures, or essences, of things. I will argue that essences need not be viewed as metaphysically bizarre entities; that we can conceptualise and refer to essences; and that we can gain knowledge of them. We can know about which properties are, and which properties are not, essential to a given entity. This knowledge of essence offers a route to knowledge of the ways those entities must be or could be.

Citation

Jago, M. (2021). Knowing how things might have been. Synthese, 198(S8), 1981–1999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-018-1869-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 8, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 14, 2018
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Deposit Date: Jul 20, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 20, 2018
• Journal: Synthese
• Print ISSN: 0039-7857
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-0964
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 198
• Issue: S8
• Pages: 1981–1999
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-018-1869-6
• Keywords: Essence ; Nature; Modality; Knowledge; Modal epistemology; Kit Fine; Essential bundle theory
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/931344
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11229-018-1869-6
• Contract Date: Aug 20, 2018