Modal Structure and Sellars' Metaphysical Methodology

In Krisztián Pete & László Kocsis, Wilfrid Sellars’ Images and the Philosophy in Between: Nature and Norms in a Stereoscopic View. London: Bloomsbury (2024)
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Abstract

Wilfrid Sellars’ distinctive scientific realism has lately been gaining ground, but a crucial issue is how it can or should theorize modality. We argue that many interesting questions in this area transcend the usual ‘first-order’ concerns: “Is there an objectivist modal ontology?” and “What modal entities should we posit”? Rather, Sellars invites us to take a fresh look at the relationship between logic and metaphysics through an investigation of ‘second-order’ philosophical categories. This investigation contrasts with both the first-order 'external' ontologising of metaphysicians such as David Lewis and the 'easy' ontologising of metaphysicians such as Amie Thomasson. We argue that Sellars' approach stimulates a more conscious and fruitful examination of our role and methods as philosophers in the modal arena. Moreover, since the notion of metaphysics as a ‘second-order’ activity has recently gained attention in contemporary philosophy of science through the work of David Wallace, we explore both Sellars’ potential contribution to these discussions and the relationship between Sellars’ approach and contemporary ontic structural realist views regarding modal structure, thereby opening up fundamental questions concerning where and how the metaphysics of modality might be integrated with our current best physics. 

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Cathy Legg
Deakin University

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References found in this work

Every thing must go: metaphysics naturalized.James Ladyman & Don Ross - 2007 - New York: Oxford University Press. Edited by Don Ross, David Spurrett & John G. Collier.
Science, Perception and Reality.Wilfrid Sellars - 1963 - London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Ontology Made Easy.Amie Lynn Thomasson - 2014 - New York: Oup Usa.
Humean Supervenience Debugged.David Lewis - 1994 - Mind 103 (412):473--490.
Potentiality: From Dispositions to Modality.Barbara Vetter - 2013 - Oxford, England and New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press.

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