Excerpt from The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods, Vol. 2: January December, 1905
HE idea of possibility has a variety of usages which are, how ever, mainly two, as follows: First, it sometimes alleges a peculiar predicate of reality, a quality through which the not yet existent may become so, and moreover become so indeterminately. 'this or that may happen; either is possible'; and it is implied that the realization of the particular alternative is not necessitated. Secondly, it expresses 'a certain combination of ignorance and assurance' with respect to the conditionate order of events. 'such and such is possible since if definite conditions were realized it would follow as a consequence.' Whether these conditions are or will be facts we do not know.
In answer to'the question, What does possibility fundamentally mean? These two interpretations are sharply distinguished and opposed to each other. Possibility, according to the first theory, is real, even though a particular possibility is not now an existing fact. Its true field is generally regarded as that of intelligent action, rarely as the Whole sphere of change. The other uses of the term are held to be subordinate, and to lack a genuine applica tion to reality; thus the completely conditioned is, strictly speaking, either actual or necessary according as it has or has not yet come to pass. The principal objections to this first theory are: (1) that it apparently turns intelligent progress into pure chance; (2) that it collects wholly heterogeneous facts under a single term; that it does not explain how a proper usage could become so perverted as to lose its original significance. Nevertheless it pre vails both as an unreasoned conviction of popular thought and as a feature of theological systems, especially of scholasticism. Whether it has an adequate logical and psychological basis remains to be seen.
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