If an essence’s existence is known to be contingent, then this essence has necessarily emerged into existence. This is because the specifier that preferred existence for that contingent would either be:

    • Contingent
    • Necessary

If the specifier were contingent, then the above would apply to it as well[1]. And this cannot regress to the past infinitely, given the impossibility of Tasalsul.

If the specifier were necessary, then either this specifier was:

    • Able to leave the contingent non-existent.
    • Unable to leave the contingent non-existent.

If the necessary specifier was able to leave the contingent non-existent, then this contingent would be emergent. This is because it is impossible to leave a beginningless effect non-existent. And if the effect is not beginningless, then the effect is emergent.

If the necessary specifier was unable to leave the contingent non-existent, then the contingent will necessarily exist if the specifier exists. And since the specifier in this case is necessary, then its non-existence is impossible. So since the specifier’s non-existence is impossible, then the non-existence of its contingent effect would also be impossible[2]. However, if non-existence were impossible for the contingent effect, then this contingent effect would be non-contingent[3]. This is contradictory, and is therefore impossible.

Thus, if an essence’s existence were contingent, then this essence is necessarily emergent.


 

[1] In other words, if the specifier were contingent, then that specifier would itself be contingent upon a second specifier to have preferred its existence. And that second specifier would either be necessary or contingent. And so on, and so forth.

[2] Such that there is no possible world where this contingent does not exist.

[3] Since a contingent essence is by definition, one that accepts both existence and non-existence. So if a contingent did not accept non-existence, then this contingent would be a non-contingent.

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