Metaphysical Interdependence, Epistemic Coherentism, and Holistic Explanation

This paper argues for an alternative to orthodox foundationalist accounts of metaphysical structure as characterized by grounding relations. There are good reasons to take grounding to be a non-symmetric (rather than an asymmetric) relation, and to take facts to be related in complex networks of ground. These networks are closely analogous to the networks of justified beliefs characteristic of coherentism about justification. This position is called metaphysical interdependence. The chapter argues that grounding is an explanatory relation (rather than merely a relation which backs explanations), and that there are good reasons to resist the contention that explanation is asymmetric, including cases seemingly best described as cases of holistic metaphysical explanation. Metaphysical interdependence is a promising account of the metaphysical structure of reality.