The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches

In contemporary analytic philosophy, the principle of sufficient reason (PSR) has been attacked due to its controversial results. Among these results, necessarianism (modal collapse) is the most significant one. Indeed, our intuition indicates that there are some things around us which are contingen...

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Main Authors: Roozbeh Zare, Seyyed Hassan Hosseini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Qom 2019-08-01
Series:Pizhūhish/hā-yi Falsafī- Kalāmī
Subjects:
Online Access:http://pfk.qom.ac.ir/article_1393_caf4cb997c848a6b5644fa4151af0fd1.pdf
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author Roozbeh Zare
Seyyed Hassan Hosseini
author_facet Roozbeh Zare
Seyyed Hassan Hosseini
author_sort Roozbeh Zare
collection DOAJ
description In contemporary analytic philosophy, the principle of sufficient reason (PSR) has been attacked due to its controversial results. Among these results, necessarianism (modal collapse) is the most significant one. Indeed, our intuition indicates that there are some things around us which are contingent which means that they could be in another way. Accepting the PSR seems to conflict with this common intuition; if all things have a sufficient reason, is it possible to have contingency or would all things be necessary? In response to this problem, several answers have been presented which we will recount briefly in this paper , nevertheless the main points that we have emphasized in this paper are: 1. explaining the problem of necessarianism based on the text of one of the pioneer thinkers in this regard (Van Inwagen) who refuted the principle and 2. an answer to this problem from one of the most important researchers on the issue (Pruss) who tries to solve the problem by denying causal necessity. Finally, we examine the solution of Muslim philosophers especially Ibn-Sina (Avicenna) who solved the problem without refuting causal necessity.
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spelling doaj.art-7e67c66a6efc4104b303926c5aa117d72023-09-03T01:24:35ZengUniversity of QomPizhūhish/hā-yi Falsafī- Kalāmī1735-97912538-25002019-08-0121252710.22091/jptr.2019.4092.20681393The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary ApproachesRoozbeh Zare0Seyyed Hassan Hosseini1Post doc Researcher, Department of Philosophy of Science, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IranProfessor, Department of Philosophy of Science, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IranIn contemporary analytic philosophy, the principle of sufficient reason (PSR) has been attacked due to its controversial results. Among these results, necessarianism (modal collapse) is the most significant one. Indeed, our intuition indicates that there are some things around us which are contingent which means that they could be in another way. Accepting the PSR seems to conflict with this common intuition; if all things have a sufficient reason, is it possible to have contingency or would all things be necessary? In response to this problem, several answers have been presented which we will recount briefly in this paper , nevertheless the main points that we have emphasized in this paper are: 1. explaining the problem of necessarianism based on the text of one of the pioneer thinkers in this regard (Van Inwagen) who refuted the principle and 2. an answer to this problem from one of the most important researchers on the issue (Pruss) who tries to solve the problem by denying causal necessity. Finally, we examine the solution of Muslim philosophers especially Ibn-Sina (Avicenna) who solved the problem without refuting causal necessity.http://pfk.qom.ac.ir/article_1393_caf4cb997c848a6b5644fa4151af0fd1.pdfprinciple of sufficient reason (psr)necessarianismmodal collapsepeter van inwagenalexander pruss
spellingShingle Roozbeh Zare
Seyyed Hassan Hosseini
The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
Pizhūhish/hā-yi Falsafī- Kalāmī
principle of sufficient reason (psr)
necessarianism
modal collapse
peter van inwagen
alexander pruss
title The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
title_full The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
title_fullStr The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
title_full_unstemmed The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
title_short The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Necessarianism; Describing and Analyzing two Contemporary Approaches
title_sort principle of sufficient reason and necessarianism describing and analyzing two contemporary approaches
topic principle of sufficient reason (psr)
necessarianism
modal collapse
peter van inwagen
alexander pruss
url http://pfk.qom.ac.ir/article_1393_caf4cb997c848a6b5644fa4151af0fd1.pdf
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