15 + 14 points
Ethereal Cartography by Harry Lawson
June 15th, 2011 8:03 AM
This is an ontological map, showing possible worlds.
The actual world is represented in the center. This is the realm that we think we inhabit, although we might be mistaken. In the actual world, true propositions are true and false propositions are false. This is represented by their placement on the islands, Truth and Falsehood. Thus, unmarried bachelors are on the island Truth (because they exist) and married ones are on the island Falsehood. There are mountains, waves, rivers, and grass shown on Truth because they alll exist in the actual world.
Unmarried bachelors inhabit all possible worlds, becuase the statement that a bachelor is an unmarried male is a necessary proposition, i.e., it is true in all possible worlds.
Married bachelors live in no man's land becuase married bachelors represent an impossible proposition, one that is true in no possible worlds, so it is not conceivable we could live in a world with married bachelors.
Possible Worlds 1, 2, 47, and Infinity are shown, respectively, with only mountains, rivers, grass, and rocks, beause a world with only one of those features is a conceivable alternative to the actual world.
Possible Worlds 82 and 83 show contingent propositions: in Possible World 82 pigs can fly and in Possible World 83 they cannot. Therefore, we could live in either Possible World 82 or 83, but not both.
The actual world is represented in the center. This is the realm that we think we inhabit, although we might be mistaken. In the actual world, true propositions are true and false propositions are false. This is represented by their placement on the islands, Truth and Falsehood. Thus, unmarried bachelors are on the island Truth (because they exist) and married ones are on the island Falsehood. There are mountains, waves, rivers, and grass shown on Truth because they alll exist in the actual world.
Unmarried bachelors inhabit all possible worlds, becuase the statement that a bachelor is an unmarried male is a necessary proposition, i.e., it is true in all possible worlds.
Married bachelors live in no man's land becuase married bachelors represent an impossible proposition, one that is true in no possible worlds, so it is not conceivable we could live in a world with married bachelors.
Possible Worlds 1, 2, 47, and Infinity are shown, respectively, with only mountains, rivers, grass, and rocks, beause a world with only one of those features is a conceivable alternative to the actual world.
Possible Worlds 82 and 83 show contingent propositions: in Possible World 82 pigs can fly and in Possible World 83 they cannot. Therefore, we could live in either Possible World 82 or 83, but not both.
5 vote(s)
Terms
(none yet)2 comment(s)
posted by Idøntity matrix on June 15th, 2011 12:55 PM
I think therefore I am not.
Venn diagram request.
Turn the map. You will find the non-ontological worlds on the third side. Where truth and falsehood chase each other, merge and re-emerge. Where nothing can exist without the context that surrounds it, and nothing can persist without the change through time.
You are here.