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Work #452 · Early

Counterfactuals

David Lewis
1973 · English
Analytic philosophy of language and modality · American analytic philosophy

Lewis's 1973 foundational possible-worlds semantics for counterfactual conditionals

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Counterfactuals (Early)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Counterfactuals

The modal-temporal structure of counterfactual conditionals.

Space

Counterfactuals

The modal space of similarity-ordered possible worlds.

Matter

Counterfactuals

The material objects in possible worlds.

Observer

Counterfactuals

The conditional-asserter / counterfactual-reasoner.

Energy

Counterfactuals

Energies of counterfactual reasoning.

Information

Counterfactuals

Possible-worlds semantic framework for counterfactuals.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Counterfactuals

Lewis's concrete modal realism vs. ersatzist modal anti-realism.