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From: Immortalist on 3 Jul 2010 21:26
The distinction between contingent and necessary statements is one of
the oldest in philosophy. A truth is necessary if denying it would
entail a contradiction. A truth is contingent, however, if it happens
to be true but could have been false. For example:

Cats are mammals.
Cats are reptiles.
Cats have claws.

The first statement is a necessary truth because denying it, as with
the second statement, results in a contradiction. Cats are, by
definition, mammals - so saying that they are reptiles is a
contradiction. The third statement is a contingent truth becuase it is
possible that cats could have evolved without claws.

This is similar to the distinction between essential and accidental
qualities. Being a mammal is part of a cat's essence, but having claws
is an accident.

http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/general/bldef_contingentstatements.htm

A proposition expresses a necessary truth if and only if denying that
proposition would result in a self-contradiction. On the other hand, a
proposition expresses a contingent truth is one which can be
rationally denied without resulting in any self-contradiction. Thus,
for example, the logical principle of the law of identity (a = a) is a
necessary truth because in order to rationally deny it, one would have
to assume its truth (for example, in order to deny it, you have to
assume that it is identical with itself, otherwise what are you
denying?) - a self-contradiction.

http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/general/bldef_contingenttruths.htm

The necessary/contingent distinction concerns the modal status of a
statement. To say that a statement is necessarily true is to say that
it must be true or that it is true in all possible worlds. A statement
is contingently true in case it just happens to be true because of the
way the actual world is.

Traditionally, there are three "modes" or "moods" or "modalities"
represented by modal logic, namely, possibility, probability, and
necessity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_logic
From: bigfletch8 on 3 Jul 2010 22:19
On Jul 4, 9:26 am, Immortalist <reanimater_2...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> The distinction between contingent and necessary statements is one of
> the oldest in philosophy. A truth is necessary if denying it would
> entail a contradiction. A truth is contingent, however, if it happens
> to be true but could have been false. For example:
>
>     Cats are mammals.
>     Cats are reptiles.
>     Cats have claws.
>
> The first statement is a necessary truth because denying it, as with
> the second statement, results in a contradiction. Cats are, by
> definition, mammals - so saying that they are reptiles is a
> contradiction. The third statement is a contingent truth becuase it is
> possible that cats could have evolved without claws.
>
> This is similar to the distinction between essential and accidental
> qualities. Being a mammal is part of a cat's essence, but having claws
> is an accident.
>
> http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/general/bldef_contingentsta...
>
> A proposition expresses a necessary truth if and only if denying that
> proposition would result in a self-contradiction. On the other hand, a
> proposition expresses a contingent truth is one which can be
> rationally denied without resulting in any self-contradiction. Thus,
> for example, the logical principle of the law of identity (a = a) is a
> necessary truth because in order to rationally deny it, one would have
> to assume its truth (for example, in order to deny it, you have to
> assume that it is identical with itself, otherwise what are you
> denying?) - a self-contradiction.
>
> http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/general/bldef_contingenttru...
>
> The necessary/contingent distinction concerns the modal status of a
> statement. To say that a statement is necessarily true is to say that
> it must be true or that it is true in all possible worlds. A statement
> is contingently true in case it just happens to be true because of the
> way the actual world is.
>
> Traditionally, there are three "modes" or "moods" or "modalities"
> represented by modal logic, namely, possibility, probability, and
> necessity.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_logic

How the mind loves to try to 'freeze'an ever unfolding set of events.
This is a deslusional entity looking for reality , so is to be
expected.

A cat is an accumulation of cells complying 'temporarily' a genetic
code providing a specific set of experiences for 'that which is cat'.

The American Indians didnt refer to 'a buffalo' but 'buffalo spirit',
for which they held great reverence.They knew hat they were talking
about, contingent on their wisdom !

BOfL

BOfL
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