Ya shouldn'ta couldn'ta wouldn'ta

Stephen Steward

pp. 1909-1921

in: Synthese 192 (6), 2015.

Abstract

In a recent issue of this journal, Berit Brogaard and Joe Salerno presented a counterfactual theory of essence, designed to get around Kit Fine’s influential objections to the standard modal account of essence. I argue that Brogaard and Salerno’s theory does not avoid Fine’s objections. Then I propose a sequence of variations on their theory, and argue that none of them succeed either.

Cited authors

Brogaard Berit

Fine Kit

Salerno Joe