Barbara Vetter’s potentiality account of counterfactuals

Casini, Giulia and Gregory, Dominic and Keefe, Rosanna (2022) Barbara Vetter’s potentiality account of counterfactuals. PhD thesis, Uni of Sheffield.

Abstract

This study comprises an analysis and an evaluation of Barbara Vetter’s proposal for an account of counterfactuals in terms of potentiality. Counterfactuals are a kind of conditional, but they are now largely recognised as part of modality and as such it is thought that an account of them can be developed from a theory of possibility. The traditional metaphysical background of counterfactuals appeals to a theory of possibility based on possible worlds. In this study, we wish to explore a different theory in the hope of finding a different, but equally effective, background. This theory of possibility is Vetter’s potentiality account of modality. The appeal of such an account comes from the idea that potentiality is a class of properties of the objects of the actual world, so that an account of modality based on potentiality could intrinsically link modality to the actual world. If counterfactuals can be successfully inserted in this account, then they too can be concretely linked to the actual world and avoid the metaphysical problems connected with possible worlds. However, the extension of Vetter’s framework to counterfactuals proves challenging. The scarcity of details on the matter in the original material makes the investigation more difficult and certain pressing questions about the applicability of the whole framework arise from it. The resulting critical discussion of potentiality and counterfactuals is hoped to indicate potential ways to further elaborating Vetter’s picture, rather than grounds for rejecting it, in such a way that the view can accommodate counterfactuals more effectively and, by doing so, provide a more complete account of modality.