In this paper I explore informationalism, a pragmatic theory of modality
that seems to solve some serious problems in the familiar possible worlds
accounts of modality. I view the theory as an elaboration of Stalnaker's
moderate modal realism, though it also derives from Dretske's
semantic theory of information. Informationalism is presented in Section 2
after the prerequisite stage setting in Section 1. Some applications are
sketched in Section 3. Finally, a mathematical model of the theory is
developed in Section 4.
¶ How many times have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? (Arthur Conan Doyle)
¶ You've put me in an impossible situation. (Anonymous)
¶ [N]othing we imagine is absolutely impossible. (David Hume)