Single Idea 14680

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 3. Types of Necessity]

Full Idea

Just as nomological possibility is a special kind of metaphysical possibility, so metaphysical possibility is a special kind of logical possibility.

Clarification

'Nomological' modality (involving laws) is here referred to as 'natural' modality

Gist of Idea

Logical possibility contains metaphysical possibility, which contains nomological possibility

Source

Nathan Salmon (The Logic of What Might Have Been [1989], III)

Book Reference

Salmon,Nathan: 'Metaphysics, Mathematics and Meaning' [OUP 2005], p.137


A Reaction

This is the standard view of how the three types of necessity are nested. He gives a possible counterexample in footnote 7.