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Belief in Absolute Necessity
Author(s) -
Divers John,
GonzálezVarela José Edgar
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
philosophy and phenomenological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1933-1592
pISSN - 0031-8205
DOI - 10.1111/j.1933-1592.2012.00600.x
Subject(s) - absolute (philosophy) , epistemology , normative , metaphysics , interdependence , scope (computer science) , harmony (color) , belief revision , philosophy , psychology , sociology , computer science , art , social science , visual arts , programming language
We outline a theory of the cognitive role of belief in absolute necessity that is normative and intended to be metaphysically neutral. We take this theory to be unique in scope since it addresses simultaneously the questions of how such belief is (properly) acquired and of how it is (properly) manifest. The acquisition and manifestation conditions for belief in absolute necessity are given univocally, in terms of complex higher‐order attitudes involving two distinct kinds of supposition (A‐supposing and C‐supposing). It is subsequently argued that the proposed acquisition and manifestation conditions are rationally interdependent, and that such harmony affords explanations of connections between different facets of belief in necessity that otherwise remain mysterious.