Lego and the building blocks of metaphysics

Leuenberger, S. (2017) Lego and the building blocks of metaphysics. In: Irwin, W. and Cook, R. T. (eds.) Lego and Philosophy: Constructing Reality Brick by Brick. Series: The Blackwell philosophy and pop culture series. Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, pp. 197-205. ISBN 9781119193975 (doi: 10.1002/9781119194033.ch19)

Abstract

This chapter explores how LEGO compare to the metaphysics of the real, actual world—our universe. LEGO worlds and real worlds at least differ in how many there are: there are many LEGO worlds, but only one real world. According to David Lewis, there are worlds in which people were saved from entering the dark ages. There are worlds where they have a billion bricks at their disposal. But there are also worlds where LEGO has never been invented. On Lewis's view, other worlds are just as real as the actual world. Lewis's plausible thesis of Humean supervenience need not be combined with his extravagant claim that there is a real world for any possible arrangement of the fundamental building blocks. A pervasive and obvious phenomenon of our world, is absent in a LEGO world. Things change—cars move, babies grow, coffee goes cold, leaves turn brown.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Leuenberger, Professor Stephan
• Authors: Leuenberger, S.
• College/School: College of Arts > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISBN: 9781119193975