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As far as I understand, it speaks specifically about our entire planet, and not about some abstract world. Isn't it better to use the definite article in this case?

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  • The author is talking about a hypothetical, non-existing world that does not have electricity more than "specifically about our entire planet".
    – stangdon
    Feb 26, 2021 at 12:50
  • Oh, I got it! It makes sense now, thank you very much.
    – Oroffe
    Feb 26, 2021 at 15:27

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"The" could be used, but, to me, it's as if the person's considering alternative realties, so she's considering one of many worlds in her mind.

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  • But this sentence speaks about our concrete world, isn't it? This world is only one. I don't understand why, in this case, we use the indefinite article, if the word "world" implies one very specific entity.
    – Oroffe
    Feb 26, 2021 at 8:48
  • World, to me, is a more subjective term than "planet" or "Earth". I would downgrade it from "very specific" to "specific", because there's a psychological connotation to it. It's as if a world is "a planet or place seen through through the eyes of a person". In general use, you'll see that "a world" is commonly used and understood.
    – Aaron Bell
    Feb 26, 2021 at 8:57

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