Further Facts and Simulation
Ryo Yamana, Takumu Fujiyama
Human Ontology July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.17983/301642 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Physicalism Argument complex analysis Metaphysics Section typography Free will Philosophical analysis Epistemology Work physics Thought experiment |
| Key points | Argues that Conitzer's use of computer simulation shifts attention from the existence of further facts to the validity of the reasoning by which they are inferred, and that this approach can reshape metaphysical debates. |
Abstract
This paper examines the notion of further facts and its significance for contemporary metaphysics. Many central metaphysical questions can be understood as disputes over whether certain facts are contingent relative to the physical structure of the universe. A paradigmatic example is the debate over whether mental facts are contingent upon physical facts. Similar issues arise in discussions of time, personal identity, and related topics. Despite its importance, the notion of further facts itself has received relatively little systematic attention. This paper focuses on one notable contribution to this topic: Vincent Conitzer's "A Puzzle about Further Facts" (2018). Conitzer's work is noteworthy in two respects: first, for introducing computer simulation as a framework for investigating further facts; and second, for shifting attention from the existence of further facts to the validity of the reasoning by which such facts are inferred. This paper proceeds as follows. In Section 1, we outline Conitzer's argument and clarify his central claims. In Section 2, we restrict attention to mental facts and examine possible physicalist responses to his argument. In Section 3, we extend the analysis to other kinds of further facts and consider how simulation, understood as a philosophical model, reshapes debates beyond the philosophy of mind.
Comparable studies
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| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis. | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How do the brain's time and space mediate consciousness and its different dimensions? Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC). | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The phenomenology of deep brain stimulation-induced changes in OCD: an enactive affordance-based model. | 2013 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |