Conceivability and possibility
What Conceivability and possibility means in Philosophy A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Conceivability and possibility
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Reference: AQA
The key premise that whatever is conceivable is possible, so zombies being conceivable means they are possible; the key reply is that it may not.
Conceivability is treated as a test of possibility, so what cannot be coherently conceived is held not to be possible.
Evaluation should test whether conceivability really tracks possibility, since the argument turns on possibility.
Conceivability is distinguished from metaphysical possibility, and neither alone establishes actual facts.
The dispute turns on what counts as genuine conceivability and whether conceivability tracks possibility.
Topics that use Conceivability and possibility
- Arguments relating to the existence of God (AQA A-Level)
- Dualist theories (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Ability knowledge
- Acquaintance knowledge
- Actual versus potential infinity
- Agency and causation as the distinguishing criterion
- Analogical and inductive reasoning
- Anselm's argument and its revival by Malcolm
- Argument evaluation
- Argument from analogy
Using Conceivability and possibility in the exam
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