| dc.description.abstract | Ted Sider writes that "many are impressed with the utility of possible worlds in linguistics
and philosophy", and this is true, in particular, of those with an interest in modal
logic. However, in the midst of the marvelous milieu brought on by the development of
possible world semantics, some have stopped to ask just what it is that possible worlds
are. They certainly seem useful, and we seem to understand how to use them and talk
about them, but what precisely is it that we're talking about when we talk of possible
worlds? In this thesis, I will attempt to outline the most significant and well-recognized
view in this debate: that of David Lewis. Through my discussion of him, I will find occasion
to discuss some alternative views that have arisen. After finishing my presentation
of Lewis, I will discuss where people have begun to take this debate and address the
question of whether progress can be made towards a substantive answer.
In Chapter I, I begin by presenting the motivation of the question of possible worlds
found in the study of modal logic. I then present the major approaches taken to answering
the questions that were raised, leading into my discussion of David Lewis's famous
and robust account. I present key features of Lewis's view and then move into his criticisms
of the other major responses. This much should suffice as a relatively thorough
treatment of the answers that have come before.
In Chapter II, I discuss the current state of the debate. I begin by mentioning several
problems that can be spotted in Lewis's views in particular. I then move to Menzel's
account, which tries to answer the question of possible worlds from a new angle, jettisoning
the direction taken by Lewis and his contemporaries. I explain why Menzel has
taken this new approach, and then move into another new approach, this time given by
Stephen Yablo. I discuss how these two approaches can help serve each other in helpful ways. But, at last, I present several hurdles these two views would have to overcome in
order to play together nicely. | en |
