Complete Concept Molinism

Abstract

A theoretically rigorous approach to the key problems of molinism leads to a clear distinction between semantic and metaphysical problems. Answers to semantic problems do not provide answers to metaphysical problems that arise from the theory of middle knowledge. The so-called ‘grounding objection’ to molinism raises a metaphysical problem. The most promising solution to it is a revised form of the traditional ‘essence solution’. Inspired by leibniz’s idea of a ‘notio completa’ (complete concept), we propose a mathematical model of ‘possibilistic’ (molinist) complete concepts. They ground middle knowledge within the very being of the agents themselves. molinist Complete Concepts can thus serve to reject consequence-style arguments against molinism. They also allow the molinist to safeguard a robustly libertarian notion of the ability to do otherwise.