Contingency

Professor John Heil (Washington University in St. Louis), John Heil

Abstract: The question, ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ suggests that there could have failed to be something, that it is contingent that there is something, that the existence of something requires explanation. But is this so? What exactly would it be for there to be nothing? And, whatever it is, could there have been nothing? I discuss and evaluate reasons for thinking that this possibility falls short of intelligibility.

Note: This is a special event organized by both staff and postgrads at Monash.