Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism

In this paper I argue that Modal Realism, the thesis that there exist non-actual possible individuals and worlds, can be made compatible with Metaphysical Nihilism, the thesis that it is possible that nothing concrete exists. Modal Realism as developed by Lewis rules out the possibility of a world w...

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Main Author: Rodriguez-Pereyra, G
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2004
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author Rodriguez-Pereyra, G
author_facet Rodriguez-Pereyra, G
author_sort Rodriguez-Pereyra, G
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description In this paper I argue that Modal Realism, the thesis that there exist non-actual possible individuals and worlds, can be made compatible with Metaphysical Nihilism, the thesis that it is possible that nothing concrete exists. Modal Realism as developed by Lewis rules out the possibility of a world where nothing concrete exists and so conflicts with Metaphysical Nihilism. In the paper I argue that Modal Realism can be modified so as to be compatible with Metaphysical Nihilism. Such a modification makes Modal Realism neither incur further theoretical costs nor lose its theoretical benefits. Thus such a modification constitutes an improvement of Modal Realism.
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spelling oxford-uuid:6ce78fb9-bd0f-4eba-84b2-1a3c16c643442022-03-26T19:14:15ZModal Realism and Metaphysical NihilismJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6ce78fb9-bd0f-4eba-84b2-1a3c16c64344EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2004Rodriguez-Pereyra, GIn this paper I argue that Modal Realism, the thesis that there exist non-actual possible individuals and worlds, can be made compatible with Metaphysical Nihilism, the thesis that it is possible that nothing concrete exists. Modal Realism as developed by Lewis rules out the possibility of a world where nothing concrete exists and so conflicts with Metaphysical Nihilism. In the paper I argue that Modal Realism can be modified so as to be compatible with Metaphysical Nihilism. Such a modification makes Modal Realism neither incur further theoretical costs nor lose its theoretical benefits. Thus such a modification constitutes an improvement of Modal Realism.
spellingShingle Rodriguez-Pereyra, G
Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title_full Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title_fullStr Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title_full_unstemmed Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title_short Modal Realism and Metaphysical Nihilism
title_sort modal realism and metaphysical nihilism
work_keys_str_mv AT rodriguezpereyrag modalrealismandmetaphysicalnihilism