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    If the PSR does not favor one possible series over any ot... — Carmelics
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    If the PSR does not favor one possible series over any other, there is no explanation for why this series rather than another actually exists

    Modality & PossibilityNatural Theology
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    2 reasons for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Leibniz's PSR entails that bare possibility is never sufficient for actuality; actuality requires a reason that tips the balance toward existence.
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    • 2.If equally possible series lack a differentiating reason, the PSR itself is violated, since 'equally possible' means the actual series has no surplus explanatory ground.
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    • 3.A principle that permits brute selection among equivalents is indistinguishable in explanatory power from a principle that permits brute facts, undermining PSR's core motivation.
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    Reason for 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Van Inwagen's consequence argument structure shows that if no factor privileges one outcome over another, the result is explanatorily on par with chance, not reason.
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    • 2.Spinoza's own necessitarianism avoids this problem precisely because he denies genuine modal parity among series, confirming that PSR requires a differentiating ground to do real explanatory work.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.More than one maximal series of finite modes may be equally possible
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    • 2.The PSR requires that there be a sufficient reason for why any particular series actually obtains
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    • 3.If the PSR is neutral between equally possible series, it provides no sufficient reason for the actual series
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    Topics

    Natural TheologyModality & Possibility

    Connections

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    Causation2 linked

    Related

    A principle that permits brute selection among equivalents is indistinguishable ...If equally possible series lack a differentiating reason, the PSR itself is viol...If the PSR is neutral between equally possible series, it provides no sufficient...Leibniz's PSR entails that bare possibility is never sufficient for actuality; a...
    +4 moreShow less
    More than one maximal series of finite modes may be equally possibleSpinoza's own necessitarianism avoids this problem precisely because he denies g...The PSR requires that there be a sufficient reason for why any particular series...Van Inwagen's consequence argument structure shows that if no factor privileges ...

    Similar

    If the PSR is neutral between equally possible series, it provides no ...86%If the PSR favors one series of things over all others, the alternativ...81%The PSR requires that there be a sufficient reason for why any particu...80%There must be a reason why this particular series of finite modes exis...78%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: spinoza-modal
    View source passageHide passage
    Earlier, I suggested one possible answer: perhaps the PSR itself favors maximal series over less-than-maximal series. However, as Leibniz worried mightily, if the PSR itself favors one series of things over all others, in what sense are the alternatives genuinely possible? Alternatively, if the PSR does not favor one possible series over any other – suppose more than one maximal series of Spinoza’s finite modes is possible – then what explains why this series rather than the others actually exis
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (2 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit