Paolo Lattanzi
Siegen Universität
In my paper I would like to analyse the relation between tense and modality. In particular I will take into consideration the models proposed by Dorr and Goodman and by Correira and Rosenkranz. My aim will be in the first place to briefly defend the Dorr and Goodman relational model and to show the central role of the present tense operator N and the metaphysical consequences of its interpretation in modal-tense logic models. I would like to focus on three lines of argumentation:
The first one is about the relational model and its feature to be metaphysically neutral
The second one is about the arguments concerning Symmetry and Perpetuity: is the relation between modality and tense symmetrical or not and what does it imply?
The third one is about the arguments regarding the NOW principle and its role in a modal-tense model: the argumentation will then focus on the semantics of the N operator
In the first part of my argumentation I will clarify some characteristics of Dorr and Goodman’s relational model and its metaphysical neutrality. Unlike some readings, I will argue for the metaphysical neutrality of such a model and its openness regarding different metaphysical questions. I will point out some semantic aspects of the model, in particular issues related to the context of evaluation and the context of utterance of propositions in such a model. As a consequence of metaphysical neutrality, the principles of Symmetry and Perpetuity are both plausible in the model, but not compatible: Symmetry states that the modal logic accessibility relation is incompatible with the temporal accessibility relation, Perpetuity states that a necessary truth must be eternal. This kind of incompatibility applies also to Perpetuity and NOW. I will show how the deep interrelation between NOW, the principle which states the necessity that a truth must be present, and Symmetry is determined by the semantic interpretation of the N operator. I will try to show the limits of such an interpretation of the N operator, indeed accepted both by Dorr and Goodman and by Correira and Rosenkranz, and to propose another way of defining N based on two-dimensional semantic notions. In the end, I will show how this new definition of N makes NOW compatible with Perpetuity and, therefore, metaphysically neutral in modal-tense relational models.
Chair: Leon Isenmann
Time: September 7th, 10:40-11:10
Location: HS E.002
SOPhiA 2026 