Mere Possibilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-100
Author(s):  
Stephen Mumford
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Causal Powers ◽  
Other World

The mere possibilities are the possibilities that are not also actual. It would seem that they have no being but some attempts to account for them effectively give being to them: to say that they are actual at some other world or that they reside within the causal powers of things. This seems to grant mere possibilities both non-being and being, against Parmenideanism. Instead, a fictionalist stance is advanced wherein mere possibilities are fictional recombinations of already existing elements. Such recombinations have no being themselves but they can still be grounded in what there is. The Parmenidean preference is for a grounding in nature rather than other possible worlds since our knowledge of other worlds is largely informed by our knowledge of this world.

Possible worlds

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Melia
Keyword(s):  
Modal Logic ◽  
Actual World ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Abstract Objects ◽  
Causal Powers ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Space And Time ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Concrete Objects

The concept of Possible worlds arises most naturally in the study of possibility and necessity. It is relatively uncontroversial that grass might have been red, or (to put the point another way) that there is a possible world in which grass is red. Though we do not normally take such talk of possible worlds literally, doing so has a surprisingly large number of benefits. Possible worlds enable us to analyse and help us understand a wide range of problematic and difficult concepts. Modality and modal logic, counterfactuals, propositions and properties are just some of the concepts illuminated by possible worlds. Yet, for all this, possible worlds may raise more problems than they solve. What kinds of things are possible worlds? Are they merely our creations or do they exist independently of us? Are they concrete objects, like the actual world, containing flesh and blood people living in alternative realities, or are they abstract objects, like numbers, unlocated in space and time and with no causal powers? Indeed, since possible worlds are not the kind of thing we can ever visit, how could we even know that such things exist? These are but some of the difficult questions which must be faced by anyone who wishes to use possible worlds.

Divine Perfection, Axiology and the No Best World Defence

1993 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Elliot
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Traditional Argument ◽  
Argument From Evil ◽  
Divine Perfection ◽  
Best Possible World ◽  
Being There ◽  
Other World ◽  
Range Of Values

Advocates of the traditional argument from evil assume that an omnipotent and morally perfect being, God, would create a world of the greatest value possible. They dispute that this world is such a world. It is difficult to disagree. They go on to conclude that this world could not have been created by God. It is, however, possible consistently both to agree that God could have guaranteed the existence of a better world than this world and to reject the conclusion that this world could not have been created by God. Specifically, one may argue that this world is not a world of the greatest value God could guarantee, not because there is some other world which is, but because there is no such world. After all, it is plausible that for any possible world, no matter how good, there is another possible world which is even better, that the range of values for possible worlds has no upper limit. If this is correct, then for any world God creates there is a better world God could have created. So the argument from evil collapses, since it is logically impossible even for an omnipotent god to create a particular world which is the best or equal best possible world. God cannot act in accordance with the prescription ‘Create the best world possible!’, since there is no such thing. Nor can God act in accordance with the prescription ‘Create the best world you can!’, since from the perspective of an omnipotent being there is no such thing. This no best world defence has been advanced by Peter Forrest, John McHarry and George Schlesinger.

On How (Not) to Argue for Preferring God’s Non-Existence

Dialogue ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-699
Author(s):  
KIRK LOUGHEED
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
The Other ◽  
Opposite Conclusion ◽  
Other World

Consider two epistemically possible worlds that are as similar as can be, except that atheism is true in one world and theism is true in the other world. Which world is it rational to prefer? I explore the strongest defence of the somewhat counterintuitive claim that it is rational to prefer the atheistic world. I also discuss the opposite conclusion, namely, that it’s rational to prefer the theistic world. Surprisingly, my conclusion is that it’s difficult to tell whether to prefer theism or atheism overall.

Combining the Best of Two Possible Worlds

1991 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 1057-1058
Author(s):  
Marvin R. Goldfried ◽  
Douglas A. Vakoch
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds

Being There: The Spatiality of ‘Other World’ Fantasy Fiction

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-251
Author(s):  
Anthony Pavlik
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Real World ◽  
The Real ◽  
Fantasy Fiction ◽  
Children And Young Adults ◽  
Being There ◽  
Other World

Fantasy other worlds are often seen as alternative, wholly ‘other’ locations that operate as critiques of the ‘real’ world, or provide spaces where child protagonists can take advantage of the otherness they encounter in their own process of growth. Rather than consider fantasy fiction's presentations of ‘other’ worlds in this way, this article proposes reading them as potential thirdspaces of performance and activity that are neutral rather than confrontational such that, in fantasy other world fiction for children and young adults, the putative ‘other’ world may not, in fact, be ‘other’ at all.

World Christianity, ‘World Religions’ and the Challenge of Insider Movements

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-103
Author(s):  
Christian J. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
World Religion ◽  
World Religions ◽  
Historical Series ◽  
Enlightenment Project ◽  
World Christianity ◽  
Other World ◽  
Religious Systems ◽  
The One ◽  
Insider Movements

While studies in World Christianity have frequently referred to Christianity as a ‘world religion’, this article argues that such a category is problematic. Insider movements directly challenge the category, since they are movements of faith in Jesus that fall within another ‘world religion’ altogether – usually Islam or Hinduism. Rather than being an oddity of the mission frontier, insider movements expose ambiguities already present in World Christianity studies concerning the concept of ‘religion’ and how we understand the unity of the World Christian movement. The article first examines distortions that occur when religion is referred to on the one hand as localised practices which can be reoriented and taken up into World Christianity and, on the other hand, as ‘world religion’, where Christianity is sharply discontinuous with other world systems. Second, the article draws from the field of religious studies, where several writers have argued that the scholarly ‘world religion’ category originates from a European Enlightenment project whose modernist assumptions are now questionable. Third, the particular challenge of insider movements is expanded on – their use of non-Christian cultural-religious systems as spaces for Christ worship, and their redrawing of assumed Christian boundaries. Finally, the article sketches out two principles for understanding Christianity's unity in a way that takes into account the religious (1) as a historical series of cultural-religious transmissions and receptions of the Christian message, which emanates from margins like those being crossed by insider movements, and (2) as a religiously syncretic process of change that occurs with Christ as the prime authority.

Chances and Threats of Hard Coal Mining Development in Poland – The Results of Experts Research/Szanse I Zagrożenia Dla Rozwoju Górnictwa Węgla Kamiennego W Polsce – Wyniki Badań Eksperckich

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Józef Dubiński ◽  
Marian Turek
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Present Situation ◽  
Hard Coal ◽  
Coal Production ◽  
Actual Situation ◽  
Mining Sector ◽  
Energy Carriers ◽  
Hard Coal Mining ◽  
Adverse Influence ◽  
Other World

Abstract The actual situation of hard coal mining in Poland has been presented. In particular, these factors, which have impact on the competiveness of mining sector were highlighted and need of its improving has been stressed. Outlining present situation of hard coal mining an attention was paid to its specific threats. The primary analytical material is based on the results of questionnaire conducted among 92 specialists and experts from the mining sector. The questions were related to chances and threats for development of hard coal mining in Poland. The factors determining them were grouped in such domains as economy, technology, geology, social and law aspects. Moreover, the special attention was paid to the problem of increasing and high costs of coal production which constitute significant threat for the financial and economic situation of the mining enterprises. Also the adverse influence of these high cost on the competitiveness of Polish hard coal with other world producers and with other energy carriers was emphasized. The conclusions summarize the achieved results of analysis.

The Social Furniture of Virtual Worlds

Disputatio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (55) ◽  
pp. 345-369
Author(s):  
Peter Ludlow
Keyword(s):  
Large Class ◽  
Data Structures ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Causal Powers ◽  
Virtual Objects ◽  
David Chalmers ◽  
The Social

AbstractDavid Chalmers argues that virtual objects exist in the form of data structures that have causal powers. I argue that there is a large class of virtual objects that are social objects and that do not depend upon data structures for their existence. I also argue that data structures are themselves fundamentally social objects. Thus, virtual objects are fundamentally social objects.

Sectarian struggle in the Middle East and the new Alliances

2019 ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
Harith Qahtan Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Critical Period ◽  
The Other ◽  
New Era ◽  
Islamic World ◽  
The World ◽  
Gulf States ◽  
Other World ◽  
Islamic Civilization ◽  
New Formation

Our Islamic world passes a critical period representing on factional, racial and sectarian struggle especially in the Middle East, which affects the Islamic identification union. The world passes a new era of civilization formation, and what these a new formation which affects to the Islamic civilization especially in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon. The sectarian struggle led to heavy sectarian alliances from Arab Gulf states and Turkey from one side and Iran states and its alliances in the other side. The Sunni and Shia struggle are weaken the World Islamic civilization and it is competitive among other world civilization.

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