David Lewis (philosopher) - Revision history

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 '''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American [[philosopher]] renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[philosophical logic]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.
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 * [[Counterfactual conditional]]
 * [[Philosophical logic]]
 == External Links ==
 * [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/david-lewis/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: David Lewis]
 [[Category:1941 births]]
 [[Category:2001 deaths]]
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	~~[[File:DavidLewis.jpg\|thumb]]~~ {{Infobox ~~philosopher~~
	\| ~~region~~ = ~~Western philosophy~~		{{Infobox person
	\| ~~era~~ = ~~20th~~-~~century philosophy~~		\| name = David Lewis
	\| ~~name~~ = ~~David Kellogg Lewis~~		\| image = <!-- Image removed -->
	\| birth_date = ~~[[September~~ 28~~]], [[1941]]~~		\| alt =
	\| birth_place = [[Oberlin, Ohio]], ~~[[United States]]~~		\| caption =
	\| death_date = ~~[[October~~ 14~~]], [[2001]]~~		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1941\|09\|28}}
	\| death_place = [[Princeton, New Jersey]], ~~[[United States]]~~		\| birth_place = Oberlin, Ohio, USA
	\| ~~school_tradition~~ = ~~[[Analytic philosophy]]~~		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2001\|10\|14\|1941\|09\|28}}
	\| ~~main_interests~~ = ~~[[Metaphysics]], [[Philosophy of language]], [[Philosophy of mind]], [[Epistemology]]~~		\| death_place = Princeton, New Jersey, USA
	\| ~~notable_ideas~~ = [[Modal realism~~]], [[Counterfactuals]], [[Humean supervenience]]~~		\| nationality = American
	~~\| influences = [[W.V.O. Quine]], [[C.I. Lewis]], [[Frank Ramsey]]~~		\| occupation = Philosopher
	~~\| influenced = [[Theodore Sider]], [[Peter Railton]], [[Robert Stalnaker~~]]		\| known_for = [[Modal realism]]
	}}		}}

	'''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American philosopher renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[~~epistemology~~]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.		'''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American [[philosopher]] renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[philosophical logic]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.

	== Early Life and Education ==		== Early Life and Education ==
	David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]], to a ~~family with~~ a ~~strong academic background~~. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then ~~pursued graduate studies~~ at [[Harvard University]], where he ~~studied~~ under the supervision of [[~~W.V.O.~~ Quine]] ~~and received his Ph.D. in 1967~~.		David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]], and was the son of a professor of government and a medieval historian. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then went on to study at [[Harvard University]], where he completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of [[Willard Van Orman Quine]].

	== Academic Career ==		== Academic Career ==
	Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]], where he spent the majority of his ~~academic life~~. His work has had a ~~profound~~ impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in ~~metaphysics~~ and the ~~philosophy~~ of ~~language~~.		Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]], where he spent the majority of his career. His work has had a significant impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in the development of [[counterfactuals]] and the analysis of [[causation]].

	== ~~Philosophical Contributions~~ ==		== Modal Realism ==
			One of Lewis's most influential contributions to philosophy is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, possible worlds are not mere abstractions but are as concrete and real as the actual world we live in. This view has been both highly influential and controversial, sparking extensive debate and discussion in philosophical circles.

	==~~= Modal Realism =~~==		== Other Contributions ==
	Lewis~~'s most famous philosophical contribution is his theory of~~ [[~~modal realism~~]]~~. According to this theory~~, ~~possible worlds are not mere abstractions or linguistic constructs but are as real as~~ the ~~actual world we inhabit~~. ~~Each possible world is a complete and isolated universe, and~~ the ~~actual world is simply the world we happen to live in. This view allows for a robust analysis~~ of ~~modal statements~~, such as ~~those involving possibility~~ and ~~necessity~~.		In addition to modal realism, Lewis made significant contributions to the [[philosophy of language]], particularly in the areas of [[convention (philosophy)\|convention]] and [[language games]]. He also worked on the [[philosophy of mind]], exploring topics such as [[mental states]] and [[consciousness]].

	==~~= Counterfactuals =~~==		== Personal Life ==
	~~In his work on~~ [[~~counterfactuals~~]], ~~Lewis developed~~ a ~~formal semantics for understanding statements about what could have been~~. He introduced the concept of "possible world semantics," which evaluates the truth of counterfactual statements by considering the closest possible worlds where the antecedent is true. This approach has become a standard in ~~the analysis of counterfactuals~~.		Lewis was married to [[Stephanie Lewis]], a fellow philosopher, and they often collaborated on philosophical projects. He was known for his modesty and generosity in academic circles.

	==~~= Humean Supervenience =~~==		== Legacy ==
	Lewis ~~also advocated for a doctrine known as [[Humean supervenience]], which asserts that all facts about the world, including those about laws of nature~~, ~~supervene on the spatiotemporal distribution~~ of ~~local qualities. This view is named after [[David Hume]], who famously argued that there are no necessary connections between distinct existences~~.		David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His writings are widely studied and cited, and his ideas remain central to ongoing debates in metaphysics and other areas of philosophy.

	==~~= Other Contributions =~~==		== Selected Works ==
	~~Lewis made significant contributions to~~ the ~~philosophy~~ of ~~language, particularly in his work on conventions and language games. He also explored issues in the philosophy of mind, such as the nature of mental states~~ and ~~their relation to physical states.~~		* ''Counterfactuals'' (1973)
			* ''On the Plurality of Worlds'' (1986)
			* ''Philosophical Papers'' (Volumes I and II)

	== ~~Legacy ==~~		== See Also ==
	David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His rigorous approach to philosophical problems and his innovative theories have inspired a generation of philosophers. His collected papers and books, such as "On the Plurality of Worlds," remain essential reading for students and scholars in the field.

	== Also ~~see~~ ==
	* [[Possible world]]		* [[Possible world]]
	* [[Counterfactual conditional]]		* [[Counterfactual conditional]]
	* [[~~Humeanism~~]]		* [[Philosophical logic]]
	* ~~[[Analytic philosophy]]~~
	* [[Philosophy ~~of language]]~~		== References ==
			* {{Cite book \|last=Lewis \|first=David \|title=On the Plurality of Worlds \|year=1986 \|publisher=Blackwell}}
			* {{Cite journal \|last=Lewis \|first=David \|title=Counterfactuals \|journal=Journal of Philosophy \|year=1973}}

	~~{{Analytic philosophers}}~~		== External Links ==
	~~{{Metaphysicians}}~~		* [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/david-lewis/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: David Lewis]

			[[Category:1941 births]]
			[[Category:2001 deaths]]
	[[Category:American philosophers]]		[[Category:American philosophers]]
	~~[[Category:20th-century philosophers]]~~
	[[Category:Metaphysicians]]		[[Category:Metaphysicians]]
	[[Category:~~Philosophy~~ of language]]		[[Category:Philosophers of language]]
			[[Category:Philosophers of mind]]
	[[Category:Princeton University faculty]]		[[Category:Princeton University faculty]]
			[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
			[[Category:Swarthmore College alumni]]

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	[[~~file~~:DavidLewis.jpg\|thumb\|~~DavidLewis~~]] '''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American [[philosopher]] renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[~~philosophical logic~~]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits ~~the existence of an infinite number of~~ possible worlds ~~that~~ are ~~just~~ as real as the actual world ~~we live in~~.		[[File:DavidLewis.jpg\|thumb]] {{Infobox philosopher
			\| region = Western philosophy
			\| era = 20th-century philosophy
			\| name = David Kellogg Lewis
			\| birth_date = [[September 28]], [[1941]]
			\| birth_place = [[Oberlin, Ohio]], [[United States]]
			\| death_date = [[October 14]], [[2001]]
			\| death_place = [[Princeton, New Jersey]], [[United States]]
			\| school_tradition = [[Analytic philosophy]]
			\| main_interests = [[Metaphysics]], [[Philosophy of language]], [[Philosophy of mind]], [[Epistemology]]
			\| notable_ideas = [[Modal realism]], [[Counterfactuals]], [[Humean supervenience]]
			\| influences = [[W.V.O. Quine]], [[C.I. Lewis]], [[Frank Ramsey]]
			\| influenced = [[Theodore Sider]], [[Peter Railton]], [[Robert Stalnaker]]
			}}

			'''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American philosopher renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[epistemology]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.

	== Early Life and Education ==		== Early Life and Education ==
	David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]]. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his ~~B.A.~~ in philosophy ~~in 1962~~. He then ~~went on to study~~ at [[Harvard University]], where he ~~completed his Ph.D. in 1967~~ under the supervision of [[~~Willard Van Orman~~ Quine]].		David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]], to a family with a strong academic background. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then pursued graduate studies at [[Harvard University]], where he studied under the supervision of [[W.V.O. Quine]] and received his Ph.D. in 1967.

	== Academic Career ==		== Academic Career ==
	Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]] ~~in 1970~~, where he ~~remained for~~ the ~~rest~~ of his ~~career~~. ~~He was~~ a ~~prolific writer~~, ~~publishing numerous influential papers~~ and ~~books~~.		Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]], where he spent the majority of his academic life. His work has had a profound impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.

	== Philosophical Contributions ==		== Philosophical Contributions ==

	=== Modal Realism ===		=== Modal Realism ===
	Lewis's most famous contribution ~~to philosophy~~ is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, ~~all~~ possible worlds are as real as the actual world. This view ~~contrasts with other theories~~ of ~~modality that treat possible worlds~~ as ~~mere abstractions or constructs~~.		Lewis's most famous philosophical contribution is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, possible worlds are not mere abstractions or linguistic constructs but are as real as the actual world we inhabit. Each possible world is a complete and isolated universe, and the actual world is simply the world we happen to live in. This view allows for a robust analysis of modal statements, such as those involving possibility and necessity.

	=== Counterfactuals ===		=== Counterfactuals ===
	In his ~~book ''Counterfactuals'' (1973)~~, Lewis developed a formal semantics for ~~[[counterfactual conditionals]]. His approach uses the concept of possible worlds to analyze~~ statements about what could have been ~~the case if certain conditions had been different~~.		In his work on [[counterfactuals]], Lewis developed a formal semantics for understanding statements about what could have been. He introduced the concept of "possible world semantics," which evaluates the truth of counterfactual statements by considering the closest possible worlds where the antecedent is true. This approach has become a standard in the analysis of counterfactuals.

	~~=== Causation ===~~
	~~Lewis also made significant contributions to~~ the ~~analysis~~ of ~~[[causation]]. His counterfactual theory of causation~~, which ~~he elaborated in several papers, argues that an event A causes an event B if and only if, had A not occurred, B would not have occurred.~~

	~~=== Philosophy~~ of ~~Mind ===~~
	In the ~~philosophy of mind, Lewis~~ is ~~known for his defense~~ of ~~[[functionalism]], the view that mental states are defined by their causal roles rather than by their intrinsic properties~~.

	=== ~~Convention~~ ===		=== Humean Supervenience ===
	~~In his book ''Convention: A Philosophical Study'' (1969)~~, ~~Lewis analyzed~~ the nature of ~~social conventions and their role in coordinating human behavior~~. He argued that ~~conventions~~ are ~~solutions to recurrent coordination problems~~.		Lewis also advocated for a doctrine known as [[Humean supervenience]], which asserts that all facts about the world, including those about laws of nature, supervene on the spatiotemporal distribution of local qualities. This view is named after [[David Hume]], who famously argued that there are no necessary connections between distinct existences.

	== ~~Personal Life~~ ==		=== Other Contributions ===
	Lewis ~~was married~~ to ~~[[Stephanie Lewis]]~~, ~~a fellow philosopher~~. He ~~was known for his modesty, wit~~, ~~and generosity~~ as ~~a mentor~~ and ~~colleague~~.		Lewis made significant contributions to the philosophy of language, particularly in his work on conventions and language games. He also explored issues in the philosophy of mind, such as the nature of mental states and their relation to physical states.

	== Legacy ==		== Legacy ==
	David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His theories and ~~ideas are widely discussed and debated~~, and ~~his contributions have left a lasting impact on various fields within philosophy~~.		David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His rigorous approach to philosophical problems and his innovative theories have inspired a generation of philosophers. His collected papers and books, such as "On the Plurality of Worlds," remain essential reading for students and scholars in the field.

	== ~~Related Pages~~ ==		== Also see ==
	* [[~~Metaphysics~~]]		* [[Possible world]]
			* [[Counterfactual conditional]]
			* [[Humeanism]]
			* [[Analytic philosophy]]
	* [[Philosophy of language]]		* [[Philosophy of language]]
	* [[Philosophy of mind]]
	* [[Philosophical logic]]
	* [[Modal realism]]
	* [[Counterfactual conditionals]]
	* [[Causation]]
	* [[Functionalism (philosophy of mind)]]
	* [[Convention (philosophy)]]

	~~== References ==~~		{{Analytic philosophers}}
	{{~~Reflist~~}}		{{Metaphysicians}}

	~~== External Links ==~~		[[Category:American philosophers]]
	~~{{Wikiquote\|David Lewis (philosopher)}}~~		[[Category:20th-century philosophers]]
	~~{{Commons category\|David Lewis (philosopher)}}~~

	[[Category:~~1941 births]]~~
	~~[[Category:2001 deaths~~]]
	[[Category:20th-century ~~American~~ philosophers]]
	[[Category:Metaphysicians]]		[[Category:Metaphysicians]]
	[[Category:~~Philosophers~~ of language]]		[[Category:Philosophy of language]]
	~~[[Category:Philosophers of mind]]~~
	~~[[Category:Harvard University alumni~~]]
	[[Category:Princeton University faculty]]		[[Category:Princeton University faculty]]
	~~[[Category:Swarthmore College alumni]]~~
	~~[[Category:Philosophical logic]]~~

	~~{{philosopher-stub}}~~

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[[file:DavidLewis.jpg|thumb|DavidLewis]] '''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American [[philosopher]] renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[philosophical logic]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits the existence of an infinite number of possible worlds that are just as real as the actual world we live in.

== Early Life and Education ==
David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]]. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his B.A. in philosophy in 1962. He then went on to study at [[Harvard University]], where he completed his Ph.D. in 1967 under the supervision of [[Willard Van Orman Quine]].

== Academic Career ==
Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]] in 1970, where he remained for the rest of his career. He was a prolific writer, publishing numerous influential papers and books.

== Philosophical Contributions ==
=== Modal Realism ===
Lewis's most famous contribution to philosophy is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, all possible worlds are as real as the actual world. This view contrasts with other theories of modality that treat possible worlds as mere abstractions or constructs.

=== Counterfactuals ===
In his book ''Counterfactuals'' (1973), Lewis developed a formal semantics for [[counterfactual conditionals]]. His approach uses the concept of possible worlds to analyze statements about what could have been the case if certain conditions had been different.

=== Causation ===
Lewis also made significant contributions to the analysis of [[causation]]. His counterfactual theory of causation, which he elaborated in several papers, argues that an event A causes an event B if and only if, had A not occurred, B would not have occurred.

=== Philosophy of Mind ===
In the philosophy of mind, Lewis is known for his defense of [[functionalism]], the view that mental states are defined by their causal roles rather than by their intrinsic properties.

=== Convention ===
In his book ''Convention: A Philosophical Study'' (1969), Lewis analyzed the nature of social conventions and their role in coordinating human behavior. He argued that conventions are solutions to recurrent coordination problems.

== Personal Life ==
Lewis was married to [[Stephanie Lewis]], a fellow philosopher. He was known for his modesty, wit, and generosity as a mentor and colleague.

== Legacy ==
David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His theories and ideas are widely discussed and debated, and his contributions have left a lasting impact on various fields within philosophy.

== Related Pages ==
* [[Metaphysics]]
* [[Philosophy of language]]
* [[Philosophy of mind]]
* [[Philosophical logic]]
* [[Modal realism]]
* [[Counterfactual conditionals]]
* [[Causation]]
* [[Functionalism (philosophy of mind)]]
* [[Convention (philosophy)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External Links ==
{{Wikiquote|David Lewis (philosopher)}}
{{Commons category|David Lewis (philosopher)}}

[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American philosophers]]
[[Category:Metaphysicians]]
[[Category:Philosophers of language]]
[[Category:Philosophers of mind]]
[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
[[Category:Princeton University faculty]]
[[Category:Swarthmore College alumni]]
[[Category:Philosophical logic]]

{{philosopher-stub}}