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Contingency

A live possibility that admits other live possibilities. Contingency is properly contrasted with impossibility and necessity. For example, given the second law of thermodynamics, it is impossible to build a perpetual motion machine. On the other hand, for two massive objects, it is necessary that they will exert forces of gravitational attraction on each other. Finally, for a radioactive element, it is contingent whether it will experience a radioactive decay within a given time interval (it could happen but it need not happen).

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