Scientia Necessaria and Possible Worlds

Status
Not open for further replies.

Theological Books

Puritan Board Freshman
How identical can possible worlds be to one another? In other words, can world W and world X be identical--that is all things fixed--up until point t and then become different?

For instance, let's say W consists of actualized (and yet to be actualized) properties (or states of affairs) 1, 2, 3, 4... 100. Let us then say at 23 a person turns left at a stop sign. Is it possible, then, that in X, consisting of the same [fixed] states of affairs from 1-23, can exist (yet not be actualized), but at 23 the person turns left at a stop sign?

Or, in other words, up this point in time in the actualized world I signed on the computer and typed this question. But, in X, everything was identically the same in the past, but instead of signing on this website I went to check my email, planing on signing on here later.

Can all things be equal in possible world X and actual world W and yet differences occur?
 
TB:

Short answer: no.

Long answer: don't ask me, I was just trying to look smart.

However, on world X I would have been a lot smarter and been able to answer you.

All fun aside, though, I like questions like this. I would say that world W, being real, and world X being possibility, would both have to be worlds with separate contingencies, and so would have no parallel, even if given the exact same beginning and environment. There is a huge difference between foreknowledge/fore-ordination and determinism. They are, in fact, opposites. Determinism is too narrow for any world, and is not possible, actually. All purpose and distinction would be meaningless. That guy wouldn't be turning left at the intersection: he wouldn't know if he was turning or going straight, or if he was going at all, or whether he was at the intersection, or if there even was one, or even if there was a road, or whether it was better to be on the road than off. Even if people (?) knew enough to drive cars, they would just be going all over the place, on or off the roads; they would not just be going out by windows instead of doors, they would be trying to go through the walls too. Determinism, taken seriously, cannot be taken seriously.

[Edited on 20-10-2004 by JohnV]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top