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Do (any) philosophers question how there can be a priori truths about a changing world -- has anyone worried whether this is possible, or if those different modes, of timeless truth and contingent existence, are in some way irresolvable?

I'm asking cos I wondered whether something like geometry can be known to apply to shapes coming into and out of existence. What sort of ways, if at all, have philosophers challenged the potentiality of a priori truth about contingent events?

I would have thought that any succesful challenge to them, and so I think geometry, would then mean that extension is a fiction, so that occurences in time and space (tokens) are ideal (whether or not that disposes of all physicalisms).

anon
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  • apologies if this has come up -- but the question seems like one with broad interest – anon Apr 03 '17 at 13:43
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    You appear to be using a priori and necessary as synonymous. For the purposes of your question, can you pick one? (perhaps necessity unless you want to tangle this very tightly with Kant and/or kripke) – virmaior Apr 03 '17 at 13:57
  • @virmaior i'm not, i'm just calling geometry a priori. i'm particularly interested in geometry, and will edit the question to reflect that -- thans – anon Apr 03 '17 at 14:00
  • in body: So especially any problems with there being apriori truth about contingent events. in title: Do (any) philosophers worry if there can be necessary truths about a changing world? / are these sentences supposed to express something similar or am I misreading them? – virmaior Apr 03 '17 at 14:02
  • @virmaior like i said, i'm assuming geometry is a priori – anon Apr 03 '17 at 14:02
  • @virmaior done! though i added more context which may make me sound like a lunatic ;) – anon Apr 03 '17 at 14:06
  • You'll have hard time finding contemporary philosophers who believe in "timeless truths" and necessary a priori. The notion of a priori current in philosophy is relativized, these are fallible structural assumptions needed to obtain and organize empirical content, see What are the more complex/interesting examples of synthetic a priori statements? Geometry is a priori in this sense because one needs to assume it to make measurements. – Conifold Apr 03 '17 at 20:17

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