Leibnizâs Formal Theory of Contingency
In: History of Philosophy & Logical AnalysisSearch for other papers by Jeffrey McDonough in
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Search for other papers by Zeynep Soysal in
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This essay argues that, with his much-maligned âinfinite analysisâ theory of contingency, Leibniz is onto something deep and important â a tangle of issues that wouldnât be sorted out properly for centuries to come, and then only by some of the greatest minds of the twentieth century. The first two sections place Leibnizâs theory in its proper historical context and draw a distinction between Leibnizâs logical and meta-logical discoveries. The third section argues that Leibnizâs logical insights initially make his âinfinite analysisâ theory of contingency more rather than less perplexing. The last two sections argue that Leibnizâs meta-logical insights, however, point the way towards a better appreciation of (what we should regard as) his formal theory of contingency, and its correlative, his formal theory of necessity.
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Leibnizâs Formal Theory of Contingency
In: History of Philosophy & Logical AnalysisSearch for other papers by Jeffrey McDonough in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Zeynep Soysal in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
This essay argues that, with his much-maligned âinfinite analysisâ theory of contingency, Leibniz is onto something deep and important â a tangle of issues that wouldnât be sorted out properly for centuries to come, and then only by some of the greatest minds of the twentieth century. The first two sections place Leibnizâs theory in its proper historical context and draw a distinction between Leibnizâs logical and meta-logical discoveries. The third section argues that Leibnizâs logical insights initially make his âinfinite analysisâ theory of contingency more rather than less perplexing. The last two sections argue that Leibnizâs meta-logical insights, however, point the way towards a better appreciation of (what we should regard as) his formal theory of contingency, and its correlative, his formal theory of necessity.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 698 | 139 | 17 |
| Full Text Views | 160 | 13 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 217 | 29 | 0 |
