Philosophical necessity refers to the idea that certain truths or principles must be the case, regardless of circumstances. This concept often arises in discussions about metaphysics and logic, where philosophers explore what is fundamentally true about existence and reality. For example, the laws of mathematics are often considered necessary because they hold true in all possible worlds. In contrast, contingent truths depend on specific conditions or contexts. For instance, the statement "It is raining" is contingent because it can be true or false based on the weather. Philosophical necessity helps distinguish between what must be true and what could be otherwise, influencing debates in areas like epistemology and ontology.