Timothy Williamson – Contingency and Being

It is a changing and contingent matter what kinds of things are exemplified. For instance, there are humans, but once there were none, one day there will be none again, and there could have never been any. Is it also a changing and contingent matter which particular things there are? Most philosophers assume that it is. For example, on their view, you are a particular human, but once there was no such thing as you, one day there will be no such thing again, and if there had never been any humans there would never have been any such thing as you — not even a non-human you. I will explain why it is not as obvious as it seems that being is a changing and contingent matter in this sense, and discuss some logical considerations which suggest that it is unchanging and non-contingent — although, unfortunately, not in a way that offers consolation for death.