Contingency (philosophy)

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In philosophy and logic, contingency is the status of propositions that are not necessarily true or necessarily false. Here are four classes of propositions, some of which overlap:

• necessarily true propositions, which must be true, no matter what the circumstances are or could be (examples: 2 + 2 = 4; All bachelors are unmarried).
• necessarily false propositions, which must be false, no matter what the circumstances are or could be (examples: 2 + 2 = 5; Anne is both taller than and shorter than Brad).
• contingent propositions, which are not necessarily true and not necessarily false (examples: There are only three planets; There are more than three planets).
• possible propositions, which are true or could have been true given certain circumstances (examples: x + y = 4; There are only three planets; There are more than three planets). All necessarily true propositions, and all contingent propositions, are also possible propositions.

Usually, necessary proposition is understood to mean necessarily true proposition.

[edit] See also

• Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity by Richard Rorty

[edit] References

• Michael Shermer, "Glorious Contingency," Metanexus Net [1]