Logical Modalities from Aristotle to Carnap
The Story of Necessity

Introduces readers to the history of necessity and possibility, two modal concepts which play a key role in philosophy.

Max Cresswell (Edited by), Edwin Mares (Edited by), Adriane Rini (Edited by)

9781107077881, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 September 2016

366 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.66 kg

Interest in the metaphysics and logic of possible worlds goes back at least as far as Aristotle, but few books address the history of these important concepts. This volume offers new essays on the theories about the logical modalities (necessity and possibility) held by leading philosophers from Aristotle in ancient Greece to Rudolf Carnap in the twentieth century. The story begins with an illuminating discussion of Aristotle's views on the connection between logic and metaphysics, continues through the Stoic and mediaeval (including Arabic) traditions, and then moves to the early modern period with particular attention to Locke and Leibniz. The views of Kant, Peirce, C. I. Lewis and Carnap complete the volume. Many of the essays illuminate the connection between the historical figures studied, and recent or current work in the philosophy of modality. The result is a rich and wide-ranging picture of the history of the logical modalities.

Introduction Max Cresswell, Edwin Mares and Adriane Rini
1. Aristotle on the necessity of the consequent Adriane Rini
2. Aristotle on one-sided possibility Marko Malink
3. Why does Aristotle need a modal syllogistic? Robin Smith
4. Necessity, possibility and determinism in Stoic thought Vanessa de Harven
5. Necessity in Avicenna and the Arabic tradition Paul Thom
6. Modality without the Prior Analytics: early twelfth-century accounts of modal propositions Chris Martin
7. Ockham and the foundations of modal theory in the fourteenth century Calvin G. Normore
8. Theological and scientific applications of the notion of necessity in the mediaeval and early modern periods Jack MacIntosh
9. Locke and the problem of necessity in early modern philosophy Peter Anstey
10. Leibniz's theories of necessity Brandon C. Look
11. Leibniz and the lucky proof Jonathan Westphal
12. Divine necessity and Kant's modal categories Nicholas Stang
13. Charles Sanders Peirce on necessity Catherine Legg and Cheryl Misak
14. The development of C. I. Lewis's philosophy of modal logic Edwin Mares
15. Carnap's modal predicate logic Max Cresswell.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of mathematics [PBB], Philosophy: logic [HPL], Philosophy: epistemology & theory of knowledge [HPK], Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology [HPJ], Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900 [HPCD], Western philosophy: Medieval & Renaissance, c 500 to c 1600 [HPCB], Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA], History of Western philosophy [HPC], Philosophy [HP]