Does Possibility Require Time? The Future?
Does possibility require time in order to be conceived? And more specifically, can possibility be conceived of only in future occurances (and not in the past or present)?
Regarding the second question - though everyday use of possibility seems to be used in reference to future events, we do also seem to use language of possibility in discussion past events, such as “It is possible that the Germans might have won WWII?”. And we don’t mean this in the sense of our ignorance of WWII (if it was, we could say in the same way “It is possible that the Germans lost WWII”), but in the sense that those events, in actuality, might have taken place.
The past is an unusual thing, though.. events in the past have already occurred. It is a fairly commonsense notion that things in the past cannot be changed (err.. unless you’re Doc or Marty, which is a different story.. and a good one by the way). So in some sense, though it is admittedly strange to say so, it seems we can say that things in the past happened necessarily the way they did. Here’s what I’m saying:
1. Everything that can occur only one way is said to occur this way necessarily. (everything that can occur more than one way is said to have possible occurrances)
2. Things in the past have occurred only one way (i.e. Germany either won or lost WWII, not both).
3. Therefore, things in the past occur necessarily.
Premise 1 is suspect..
Some clarification - before the event takes place, it is not necessary that it happen some way. But after the event takes place, because it cannot be changed it must have necessarily occurred the way it did.
What this seems to imply, if correct, is that only future events can be said to occur possibly, for, presuming non-determinism (there’s probably a better word for that..) things in the future can occur more than one way (I have a choice to show up to class tomorrow or not show up to class tomorrow).
Anyhow, what say you?