The Worlds of Possibility: Modal Realism and the Semantics of Modal Logic

by Charles, S. Chihara

A powerful challenge to some highly influential theories, this book offers a thorough critical exposition of modal realism, the philosophical doctrine that many possible worlds exist of which our own universe is just one. Chihara challenges this claim and offers a new argument for modality without worlds.

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jonathan Hockey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sections where he is giving an exposition of the views of others are interesting, and there are some clearly expressed discussions on transworld identity and the status of modal realism. When he gets to his own views, attempting to argue for nominalism in mathematics, it just seems much more forced and non-interesting to me. Perhaps, as I think mathematical realism of some kind is the only viable option. He does not present his own views very well, and spends a lot of time criticising others views, in a kind of non self critical dogmatic way that makes me doubt the sincerity of his analysis.