possiblecontingent

Possiblecontingent is a term encountered in discussions of modality to refer to propositions whose status as contingent could vary across possible worlds. In modal logic, a proposition is contingent if it is true in some possible worlds and false in others; it is not necessarily true and not necessarily false. The phrase "possible contingent" (or possible contingents) is used to describe propositions that could be contingent in some standings of possibility, rather than being necessarily true or necessarily false in all worlds.

In practice, the idea plays with the distinction between what could be the case and what must be the case. A proposition might be necessary in one framework or set of axioms, yet contingent under a different set of assumptions. The notion of a possible contingent helps philosophers explore how truth values depend on the chosen modal semantics, the range of possible worlds allowed, or the underlying metaphysical commitments about possibility and necessity.

Examples commonly discussed include statements about future events, existence of entities, or laws of nature that might differ across possible worlds. For instance, whether there exists intelligent extraterrestrial life is contingent in many plausible worlds, whereas mathematical truths such as 2+2=4 are typically treated as necessary and not contingent.

The term is not standard across all texts; some authors prefer to speak directly of contingent propositions or of possibilities without attaching the adjective possible to contingent. Nevertheless, the concept highlights how modality can depend on the space of possible worlds under consideration. See also modal logic, possible world semantics, necessity, contingency, and possibility.