Contingency

Definition

Contingency refers to the notion that something is dependent on or determined by the occurrence of a specific event or circumstance. It suggests that the existence or outcome of an entity is not necessary or absolute, but rather dependent on external factors or conditions.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Contingency is a key concept in the philosophical discussion of the existence of God and the origin of the universe.
2. The cosmological argument for the existence of God often hinges on the idea that the universe is contingent, meaning it depends on something else for its existence.
3. Contingency contrasts with the concept of necessity, where something is considered to be absolute, essential, and independent of external factors.
4. Philosophers have debated whether the universe as a whole is contingent or necessary, and whether this has implications for the existence of a divine creator.
5. The concept of contingency is also relevant to discussions of free will, as it suggests that human choices and actions are not predetermined but rather depend on various factors and circumstances.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of contingency relates to the cosmological argument for the existence of God.
  • The cosmological argument for the existence of God often rests on the idea that the universe is contingent, meaning it depends on something else for its existence. Proponents of this argument contend that the universe cannot be self-explanatory or necessary, and therefore must have a cause or explanation outside of itself. This cause is often identified as God, the necessary being whose existence is not dependent on any external factors. The contingency of the universe is thus seen as evidence for the existence of a divine creator.
• Describe how the concept of contingency contrasts with the concept of necessity, and discuss the implications of this distinction for philosophical debates about the origin of the universe.
  • Contingency refers to the notion that something is dependent on or determined by the occurrence of a specific event or circumstance, while necessity implies that something is absolute, essential, and independent of external factors. In the context of the origin of the universe, the concept of contingency suggests that the universe is not necessary or self-explanatory, but rather depends on some external cause or explanation for its existence. This contrasts with the idea of necessity, where the universe would be considered an absolute, eternal, and self-sufficient entity. The debate between contingency and necessity is central to philosophical discussions about whether the universe requires a divine creator to account for its existence, or whether it can be explained solely in terms of natural, necessary laws and processes.
• Analyze how the concept of contingency relates to discussions of free will, and explain the potential implications for human agency and moral responsibility.
  • The concept of contingency suggests that human choices and actions are not predetermined or necessary, but rather depend on various factors and circumstances. This idea of contingency contrasts with determinism, which holds that all events, including human behavior, are causally determined by prior events and conditions. If human choices and actions are contingent, rather than necessary, it implies that individuals have a degree of free will and agency in their decision-making. This, in turn, has implications for discussions of moral responsibility, as it suggests that people can be held accountable for their choices and actions, since they are not simply the inevitable products of prior causes. The debate between contingency and necessity in the context of free will is thus central to philosophical and ethical considerations of human autonomy and moral culpability.

Related terms

Necessity: The quality of being necessary, essential, or indispensable, as opposed to being contingent or dependent on external factors.

Possibility: The state or fact of being possible, or capable of happening, existing, or being true.

Probability: The likelihood or chance of something happening or being the case, expressed as a numerical value between 0 and 1.