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Adding modality to ontic structuralism

an exploration and critique

Stathis Psillos

pp. 169-185

Résumé

In an attempt to pursue further my (hopefully constructive) criticism of Ontic Structuralism I want to examine in some detail a key recent idea that seems to shape the very kernel of this view, viz., that structures are modal. In Section 9.2, I argue that OS has to work with a notion of structure that is meant to play two roles at once: it should be abstract enough to be independent of concrete physical systems and concrete enough to be part of the causal identity of physical systems. I then reveal the tensions there are in this mixed view. In Section 9.3, I take on a more moderate version of OS which identifies structure with causal structure. I then argue against the resulting causal structuralist view of the world. In Sections 9.4 and 9.5, I explore a natural way to modalise structure, viz., taking structures to be structural universals. I argue that, despite all prima facie advantages, this view inherits all problems that structural universals face and in particular the so-called mereology or magic dilemma. In Section 9.6, I examine and criticise a prima facie plausible way to avoid this dilemma, which is based on the claim that there are certain spatial (or arrangement) universals that capture pure structure.

Détails de la publication

Publié dans:

Landry Elaine, Rickles Dean P. (2012) Structural realism: structure, object, and causality. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 169-185

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-2579-9_9

Citation complète:

Psillos Stathis, 2012, Adding modality to ontic structuralism: an exploration and critique. In E. Landry & D. P. Rickles (eds.) Structural realism (169-185). Dordrecht, Springer.