Contingency and Necessity
Metaphysical distinction between contingent beings (whose existence depends on external causes) and necessary beings (whose existence is self-explanatory). Cosmological arguments argue that contingent things require ultimate explanation in a necessary being (God). Aquinas and Leibniz used this distinction fundamentally.
Real World
A smartphone is contingent — it exists only because engineers designed it, factories built it, and raw materials were available. Aquinas argued the entire physical universe is similarly contingent, requiring something that exists necessarily to explain why anything exists at all.
Exam Focus
Define 'contingent' and 'necessary' precisely in your introduction — mark schemes reward accurate use of technical philosophical vocabulary.
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