When people learn that I tore my quadriceps tendon in a fall, they tend to say “it could have been worse.” Their main intent is, of course, not to state the obvious but to make me feel better about my plight. Presumably, when I ponder that I could have landed on my head and died, I will feel better about merely being unable to run for 9-12 months. Oddly enough, I do.
I suspect that when most people say those words, they are not considering the metaphysical implications of their claim. However, this matter does seem worth considering. Although I may or may not still be a runner, I am still a philosopher, so onward with the considering.
On the face of it, to make the claim is to assert that it is possible that the event could have had a different outcome and that among the possible outcomes are those that are worse than the actual outcome.
If we happen to live in a deterministic (or pre-determined) universe, then it could not have been worse. This is because the only possible outcome is the outcome that occurred and it cannot be worse (or better) than itself.
For example, suppose that Spinoza got it right and all actual events are those that must happen and that they could not be otherwise. In this case, my fall and injury could not be worse because no other outcome was possible. Spinoza would no doubt say to me “it could not have been worse, or better. What you should do is realize this and free yourself from the bondage of your emotions. Thus, you will achieve serenity.”
As another example, on Leibniz’s view the injury could not have been any worse-at least in this world. When God created the world, at least according to Leibniz, he selected the best of all possible worlds. Perhaps in other worlds my injury was worse and, if so, then the injury could have been worse if God had decided to create that world. Of course, since God picks the best (and seemingly must pick the best), it could be argued that those other possibilities are not possibilities at all: God could not have picked them and hence my injury could not have been worse. If so, I got the injury that was “placed” by God into my nature and, as the pre-established harmony of the universe ticked along, my tendon was torn. I am not sure what Leibniz would say about a torn quadriceps, but he would no doubt be diplomatic about it.
Now, if we live in a non-deterministic world, then perhaps my injury could have been worse. It would, of course, depend on all the various factors that would set what can and cannot be. Perhaps I did suffer the worst possible injury given all the antecedent conditions. Then again, perhaps I did not.
At the very least, it is easy enough to conceive or imagine the injury being worse. Perhaps what we can conceive is, to follow Descartes, possible. If so, then the injury could have been much worse. People have, at various times, noted that I could have broke my neck, torn both quadriceps tendons, died, broke both legs, been paralyzed in the fall and eaten by rogue squirrels (best not to ask), and so on. All of these are worse than my current situation, so it could have been worse.
Perhaps David Lewis is right and my injury could be worse because in some possible world there is a Mike counterpart who fell and suffered a worse injury. If so, I feel really sorry for him. But, the Mike counterpart I feel most sorry for is the poor fellow who has the worst possible injury from the fall. Assuming he is not dead now, he will be denied the consolation of his friends and associates telling him “it could have been worse.”
So what should we say instead of … it could have been worse?
I try to express sympathy and then say “can I help you?”
Also good: “Man, that sucks. How about we get some beer/pie/steak/soy burgers to take your mind off it?” 🙂
Exactly. “It could be worse” doesn’t really take a step in the direction of making things better.
After all, it’s difficult to imagine a situation where we couldn’t make that statement.
“It Could Have Been Worse.”
Those were the exact words in the subject line of an email from my son two weeks ago. I was still in the miserable depths of a three-week bout of bronchiolitis. My son informed me that one of his coworkers had recently returned to work after suffering eight weeks with the same virus. He had taken the “tough-it-out” route and politely refused to use the prescribed steroid inhaler. His bad.
My somewhat selfish and not-so-philosophical reply to my boy’s sympathetic email went something like this:
Thanks for the sentiment (I think I put a smiley emoticon here, so as to appear something other than an ungrateful ass). I could certainly feel worse. Then again, I could feel much, much better. As a matter of fact (as I see the facts),it’s of little consolation to me that any person anywhere feels worse than I do at this point.
I came to the conclusion long ago that seriously viewing one’s own suffering in relation to those of others’, and feeling better as a result, diminishes not only my pain, but that of all conscious human beings.
Obviously, any outcome short of death “could have been worse.” In this way, the suffering of any human who is conscious can come under the umbrella phrase “could have been worse.”
That way lies a world in which the word “suffer” loses its meaning, as no man can ever suffer in such a way that some other cannot suffer or has not suffered as much or more. He’s lost both legs and both arms and his sight? Could have been worse.
Until a more convincing reason comes along ,I prefer to wallow in my misery. Don’t take that away from me.(another smiley, I believe–same reason)
Note: I trashed the original email and reply as I was cleaning up my email account, never thinking I might find an opportunity to use it so soon. This is an approximation, and frankly, I thought it read better in the original, while I was still ill. But I’m posting it anyway. 🙂 (same reason)
That a very rational blog post and I enjoyed it immensely. Although from Hume’s perspective…basing potential alternative outcomes on the custom or habit of such an expected conjunction of events would lead to nothing more certain than mere probability of predictable effect.
wow…
You sounded just like an ungrateful ass Biomass. I’m not sure a smiley emoticon would help. 🙂
Ungrateful.
Used the emoticon to temper that a bit. But realistically–“It could have been worse” is a bumper sticker. Like the bumper sticker “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.” Of course. If guns are outlawed, those who possess them will, “by definition”, be outlaws. And the point is?
Of course “It could have been worse.” Thanks for the sentiment, but let me go on record that I am not among those who are rendered less miserable by being reminded that there are likely millions of human beings who are suffering far, far, far more than I.
It could be worse, or it could have been worse has to be my most hated statement.
Well, “It could have been better.” sounds just as bad if you are in a bad state of mind as well as “Well, it is what it is.”. If someone is wallowing in self pity(not saying it isn’t justified) then it seems the three best courses of action would be: 1. Avoid the person. 2. Give them your sympathies or 3. Tell them to get the F-motivated and do something about it!
I guess you had better know the person well or roll the dice with a 1 in 3 chance.