Grounding nonexistence. Issue 2 (7th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muñoz, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Inquiry. Volume 63:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 209
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2020-02-07
• Subjects: Metaphysical grounding -- nonexistence -- negative facts -- grounding contingentism -- negative existentials -- zero-grounding; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Social Sciences -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; Philosophie -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Philosophie -- Périodiques; 105
• DOI: 10.1080/0020174X.2019.1658634
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-174X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Contingent negative existentials give rise to a notorious paradox. I formulate a version in terms of metaphysical grounding: nonexistence can't be fundamental, but nothing can ground it. I then argue for a new kind of solution, expanding on work by Kit Fine. The key idea is that negative existentials are contingently zero-grounded – that is to say, they are grounded, but not by anything, and only in the right conditions. If this is correct, it follows that grounding cannot be an internal relation, and that no complete account of reality can be purely fundamental.