Part I of this book presents a theory of modal metaphysics in the possibleworlds tradition. Worlds themselves are understood as structured sets ofproperties thi... » 

Part I of this book presents a theory of modal metaphysics in the possibleworlds tradition. Worlds themselves are understood as structured sets ofproperties this Ersatzist view is defended against its most vigorouscompetitors Meinongianism and David Lewis theory of existent concrete worlds.Related issues of essentialism and linguistic reference are explored. br PartII takes up the question of lexical meaning in the context of possibleworldsemantics. There are skeptical analyses of analyticity and the notion of alogical constant and an infinite polysemy thesis is defended. br The bookwill be of particular interest to metaphysicians possibleworld semanticistsphilosophers of language and linguists concerned with lexical semantics. br «