PHIL 210- Chapter 3 of ForallX: Calgary

09/07/22

- In this context, we take cases which fall under category of ‘conceptual validity.’

3.1 Joint Possibility

- Sentences are jointly possible is and if there is a case where they are all true together.

Ex 1.

B1- Jane’s only brother is shorter than her

B2- Jane’s only brother is younger than her.

 If sentences are already jointly impossible adding an extra premise does not make them
all possible!

3.2 Necessary Truths, Necessary Falsehoods and Contingency

Ex (1)

1. It is raining

 This is a contingent statement (it could be raining, or it could not, need to check weather)

2. Either it is raining here, or it is not.

 This is a necessary truth. (In terms of raining there are only two states, raining and not-
raining)

3. It is both raining here and not raining here.

 This is a necessary falsehood (It defies our concept of how rain works, it cannot both rain
and not rain simultaneously)

 Some things may always be true and still be contingent.

3.3 Necessary Equivalence

- When two sentences have the same truth value in every case, they are necessarily
equivalent (these statements can be contingent, necessarily false, or necessarily true).

1. John went to the store after he washed the dishes

2. John washed the dishes before he went to the store