Hardcore Actualism and Possible Non-Existence

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hardcore Actualism and Possible Non-Existence

AU - Kimpton-Nye, Samuel

PY - 2018/6

Y1 - 2018/6

N2 - According to hardcore actualism (HA), all modal truths are grounded in the concrete constituents of the actual world. In this paper, I discuss some problems faced by HA when it comes to accounting for certain alleged possibilities of non‐existence. I focus particular attention on Leech (2017)'s dilemma for HA, according to which HA must either sacrifice extensional correctness or admit mere possibilia. I propose a solution to Leech's dilemma, which relies on a distinction between weak and strong possibility. It remains the case, however, that HA cannot capture certain iterated de re possibilities of non‐existence and that it is committed to a stock of necessary existents. But I still think that the virtues of the view outweigh these costs.

AB - According to hardcore actualism (HA), all modal truths are grounded in the concrete constituents of the actual world. In this paper, I discuss some problems faced by HA when it comes to accounting for certain alleged possibilities of non‐existence. I focus particular attention on Leech (2017)'s dilemma for HA, according to which HA must either sacrifice extensional correctness or admit mere possibilia. I propose a solution to Leech's dilemma, which relies on a distinction between weak and strong possibility. It remains the case, however, that HA cannot capture certain iterated de re possibilities of non‐existence and that it is committed to a stock of necessary existents. But I still think that the virtues of the view outweigh these costs.

KW - actualism

KW - existence

KW - grounding

KW - modality

KW - time

U2 - 10.1002/tht3.377

DO - 10.1002/tht3.377

M3 - Article

SN - 2161-2234

VL - 7

SP - 122

EP - 131

JO - Thought: A journal of philosophy

JF - Thought: A journal of philosophy

IS - 2

ER -