Saul Kripke
1940–2022 — naming, necessity, and rigid designation
Author
Philosopher; Naming and Necessity separates metaphysical necessity from epistemic a priori — supports tier separation in our ladder.
Saul Kripke (1940–2022) reshaped philosophy of language and modality. We cite him for the necessary a posteriori: some truths are metaphysically necessary yet knowable only through empirical investigation.
What we adopt
- Rigid designation and the necessary a posteriori — epistemic status (how we know) is not identical to metaphysical modality (how things must be).
- Supports separating tier of claim from mode of access and capture mode.
What we do not adopt wholesale
Full Kripkean metaphysics of natural kinds or all modal claims in Naming and Necessity. We take the distinction lesson for epistemic architecture.