Subjunctive possibility (also called alethic possibility) is a form of modality studied in modal logic. Subjunctive possibilities are the sorts of possibilities considered when conceiving counterfactual situations; subjunctive modalities are modalities that bear on whether a statement might have been or could be true—such as might, could, must, possibly, necessarily, contingently, essentially, accidentally, and so on. Subjunctive possibilities include logical possibility, metaphysical possibility, nomological possibility, and temporal possibility.
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👉 Subjunctive possibility in the context of The Kalām Cosmological Argument
The Kalām Cosmological Argument is a 1979 book by the philosopher William Lane Craig, in which the author offers a contemporary defense of the Kalām cosmological argument and argues for the existence of God, with an emphasis on the alleged metaphysical impossibility of an infinite regress of past events. First, Craig argues that the universe began to exist, using two philosophical and two scientific arguments. Second, Craig argues that whatever begins to exist has a cause that caused it to begin to exist. Finally, Craig argues that this cause is a personal creator who changelessly and independently willed the beginning of the universe.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Subjunctive possibility
- 👉 Subjunctive possibility in the context of The Kalām Cosmological Argument
- Subjunctive possibility in the context of Existence
- Subjunctive possibility in the context of Modal metaphysics
- Subjunctive possibility in the context of Epistemic possibility
- Subjunctive possibility in the context of Transcendental argument
Subjunctive possibility in the context of Existence
Existence is the state of having being or reality in contrast to nonexistence and nonbeing. Existence is often contrasted with essence: the essence of an entity is its essential features or qualities, which can be understood even if one does not know whether the entity exists.
Ontology is the philosophical discipline studying the nature and types of existence. Singular existence is the existence of individual entities while general existence refers to the existence of concepts or universals. Entities present in space and time have concrete existence in contrast to abstract entities, like numbers and sets. Other distinctions are between possible, contingent, and necessary existence and between physical and mental existence. The common view is that an entity either exists or not with nothing in between, but some philosophers say that there are degrees of existence, meaning that some entities exist to a higher degree than others.
Subjunctive possibility in the context of Modal metaphysics
Modal metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that investigates the metaphysics underlying statements about what is possible or necessary. These include propositions such as "It is possible that I become a dentist" or "Necessarily, 2 + 2 = 4." Unlike ordinary factual statements, modal statements concern not just what is actual but what could or must be the case. Modal metaphysics seeks to understand what makes such statements true or false—what grounds their truth.
One influential framework for understanding modal claims comes from the development of modal logic, especially in the work of Saul Kripke. Kripke introduced the use of possible worlds as a formal tool: abstract representations of how things could have been. On this view, a statement like "Possibly, p" is true if there exists at least one possible world where p is true; "Necessarily, p" is true if p holds in every possible world.
Subjunctive possibility in the context of Epistemic possibility
In philosophy and modal logic, epistemic possibility relates a statement under consideration to the current state of our knowledge about the actual world: a statement is said to be:
- epistemically possible if it may be true, for all we know
- epistemically necessary if it is certain (or must be the case), given what we know
- epistemically impossible if it cannot be true, given what we know
Epistemic possibility is often contrasted with subjunctive possibility (or alethic possibility), and although epistemic and subjunctive possibilities are often expressed using the same modal terms (such as possibly, could be, must be) or similar modal terms that are sometimes confused (such as may be and might be), statements that are qualified in terms of epistemic possibility and statements that are qualified in terms of subjunctive possibility have importantly different meanings.
Subjunctive possibility in the context of Transcendental argument
A transcendental argument is a kind of deductive argument that appeals to the necessary conditions that make experience and knowledge possible. Transcendental arguments may have additional standards of justification which are more demanding than those of traditional deductive arguments. The philosopher Immanuel Kant gave transcendental arguments both their name and their notoriety.