Array
(
    [fullTitle] => Complete Concept Molinism
    [abstract] => A theoretically rigorous approach to the key problems of molinism leads to a clear distinction between semantic and metaphysical problems. Answers to semantic problems do not provide answers to metaphysical problems that arise from the theory of middle knowledge. The so-called ‘grounding objection’ to molinism raises a metaphysical problem. The most promising solution to it is a revised form of the traditional ‘essence solution’. Inspired by leibniz’s idea of a ‘notio completa’ (complete concept), we propose a mathematical model of ‘possibilistic’ (molinist) complete concepts. They ground middle knowledge within the very being of the agents themselves. molinist Complete Concepts can thus serve to reject consequence-style arguments against molinism. They also allow the molinist to safeguard a robustly libertarian notion of the ability to do otherwise.
    [authors] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Godehard
                    [affiliation] => Munich School of Philosophy
                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Ruben
                    [affiliation] => Munich School of Philosophy
                )

        )

    [keywords] => Array
        (
        )

    [doi] => 10.24204/ejpr.v5i1.251
    [datePublished] => 2013-03-21
    [pdf] => https://www.philosophy-of-religion.eu/menuscript/index.php/ejpr/article/view/251/version/200/222
)
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Complete Concept Molinism

Godehard
Munich School of Philosophy

Ruben
Munich School of Philosophy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.v5i1.251

Abstract

A theoretically rigorous approach to the key problems of molinism leads to a clear distinction between semantic and metaphysical problems. Answers to semantic problems do not provide answers to metaphysical problems that arise from the theory of middle knowledge. The so-called ‘grounding objection’ to molinism raises a metaphysical problem. The most promising solution to it is a revised form of the traditional ‘essence solution’. Inspired by leibniz’s idea of a ‘notio completa’ (complete concept), we propose a mathematical model of ‘possibilistic’ (molinist) complete concepts. They ground middle knowledge within the very being of the agents themselves. molinist Complete Concepts can thus serve to reject consequence-style arguments against molinism. They also allow the molinist to safeguard a robustly libertarian notion of the ability to do otherwise.

Keywords:

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