Molnar on Truthmakers for Negative Truths

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molnar on Truthmakers for Negative Truths

AU - Kürbis, Nils

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Molnar argues that the problem of truthmakers for negative truths arises because we tend to accept four metaphysical principles that entail that all negative truths have positive truthmakers. This conclusion, however, already follows from only three of Molnar’s metaphysical principles. One purpose of this note is to set the record straight. I provide an alternative reading of two of Molnar’s principles on which they are all needed to derive the desired conclusion. Furthermore, according to Molnar, the four principles may be inconsistent. By themselves, however, they are not. The other purpose of this note is to propose some plausible further principles that, when added to the four metaphysical theses, entail a contradiction.

AB - Molnar argues that the problem of truthmakers for negative truths arises because we tend to accept four metaphysical principles that entail that all negative truths have positive truthmakers. This conclusion, however, already follows from only three of Molnar’s metaphysical principles. One purpose of this note is to set the record straight. I provide an alternative reading of two of Molnar’s principles on which they are all needed to derive the desired conclusion. Furthermore, according to Molnar, the four principles may be inconsistent. By themselves, however, they are not. The other purpose of this note is to propose some plausible further principles that, when added to the four metaphysical theses, entail a contradiction.

KW - Negation

KW - Falsity

KW - Truth

KW - Truth makers

KW - Correspondence

UR - https://nilskurbis.weebly.com/publications.html

U2 - 10.1515/mp-2018-0014

DO - 10.1515/mp-2018-0014

M3 - Article

VL - 19

SP - 251

EP - 257

JO - Metaphysica

JF - Metaphysica

IS - 2

ER -