Showing posts with label modalities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label modalities. Show all posts
Monday, August 20, 2012
The Stanford Encyclopedia Entry on Modal Logic
Here is the Stanford Encyclopedia entry on Modal Logic. There is no mention that I can see that it is even used in theology or philosophy of religion.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Why I've always hated the Ontological Argument
Consider this dialogue about the modal ontological argument.
T: Surely, you think it's possible that there is a God, surely. I mean, maybe he exists, doncha think. I mean, you aren't one of those dogmatic atheists, are you.
A: Yes, of course, I admit that it's possible that God exists.
T: Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha! Since the existence of God is either necessarily true or necessarily false, the S5 axiom says that if a necessary truth claim is possibly true, it must be necessarily true. Since you have admitted that God possibly exists, you must therefore conclude that God necessarily exists!!!
A: Uh, could we maybe restrict the accessibility relation or something?
Bill Vallicella is dealing with an atheist argument on his site with much the same problems.
T: Surely, you think it's possible that there is a God, surely. I mean, maybe he exists, doncha think. I mean, you aren't one of those dogmatic atheists, are you.
A: Yes, of course, I admit that it's possible that God exists.
T: Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha! Since the existence of God is either necessarily true or necessarily false, the S5 axiom says that if a necessary truth claim is possibly true, it must be necessarily true. Since you have admitted that God possibly exists, you must therefore conclude that God necessarily exists!!!
A: Uh, could we maybe restrict the accessibility relation or something?
Bill Vallicella is dealing with an atheist argument on his site with much the same problems.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)