Counterfactuals and Probability

2021 ◽  
pp. 100-121
Author(s):  
Robert Stalnaker
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Objective Probability ◽  
Indicative Conditionals ◽  
Conditional Belief ◽  
Subjunctive Conditionals ◽  
Counterfactual Conditionals ◽  
The World

Dorothy Edgington has been a resolute defender of an NTV account of conditionals, according to which a conditional does not express a proposition that makes a categorical claim about the world, but instead make a qualified claim, or express a conditional belief, qualified by or conditional on the proposition expressed by the antecedent. Unlike some philosophers who defend an NTV view for indicative conditionals, but not for subjunctive or counterfactual conditionals, Edgington argues for the more radical thesis that both kinds of conditionals should be given a non-propositional analysis. This chapter considers Edgington’s NTV account of subjunctive conditionals, the role of objective probability in the account, and its relation to the possible-worlds propositional analysis of subjunctive conditionals.

Introduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Robert C. Stalnaker
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Formal Semantics ◽  
Theoretical Description ◽  
Possible Worlds Semantics ◽  
The World ◽  
Abstract Structure

More than thirty years ago I wrote a book called Inquiry. This was a great title for a philosophy book, with its allusion (or homage) to classic works in the empiricist tradition, and it was an appropriate title for the aspirations with which the book was written: its topic, I said in the preface, was the abstract structure of inquiry. But it is less clear that this was an appropriate title for what was actually accomplished in the book since it did not get much beyond preliminary setting up of the issues, and some exposition of and motivation for the formal apparatus that I planned to use to talk about the structure of inquiry. Before getting to the main issues, I had to explain and motivate my approach to the problem of intentionality, sketch and motivate the formal apparatus used to represent that approach (possible worlds semantics), and respond to problems that the approach faced. That took up most of the book. The rest of it focused mainly on another piece of apparatus needed to represent the dynamics of belief (a formal semantics for conditionals), and I was able to make only a start on a discussion of the role of this apparatus in forming and refining both rules for revising beliefs, and concepts for giving a theoretical description of the world....

scholarly journals Presuppositions and Antipresuppositions in Conditionals

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Leahy
Keyword(s):  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Adequate Account ◽  
Indicative Conditionals ◽  
Subjunctive Conditionals ◽  
Counterfactual Conditionals ◽  
Issue Content

Utterances of counterfactual conditionals are typically attended by the information that their antecedents are false. But there is as yet no account of the source of this information that is both detailed and complete. This paper describes the problem of counterfactual antecedent falsity and argues that the problem can be addressed by appeal to an adequate account of the presuppositions of various competing conditional constructions. It argues that indicative conditionals presuppose that their antecedents are epistemically possible, while subjunctive conditionals bear no presupposition. Given this arrangement, utterance of the counterfactual results in an antipresupposition, that is, a scalar implicature generated from the presuppositions of competing alternatives rather than from the at-issue content of competing alternatives. The content of the antipresupposition is the negation of the presupposition of the competing indicative, i.e., that the antecedent of the conditional is known to be false by the speaker.

scholarly journals Presuppositions and Antipresuppositions in Conditionals

2015 ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Brian Leahy
Keyword(s):  
Scalar Implicature ◽  
Adequate Account ◽  
Indicative Conditionals ◽  
Subjunctive Conditionals ◽  
Counterfactual Conditionals ◽  
Issue Content

Utterances of counterfactual conditionals are typically attended by the information that their antecedents are false. But there is as yet no account of the source of this information that is both detailed and complete. This paper describes the problem of counterfactual antecedent falsity and argues that the problem can be addressed by appeal to an adequate account of the presuppositions of various competing conditional constructions. It argues that indicative conditionals presuppose that their antecedents are epistemically possible, while subjunctive conditionals bear no presupposition. Given this arrangement, utterance of the counterfactual results in an antipresupposition, that is, a scalar implicature generated from the presuppositions of competing alternatives rather than from the at-issue content of competing alternatives. The content of the antipresupposition is the negation of the presupposition of the competing indicative, i.e., that the antecedent of the conditional is known to be false by the speaker.

The essence and causes of the spiritual and moral decline of mankind in the XX century

1998 ◽  
pp. 124-127
Author(s):  
V. Tolkachenko
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Social Force ◽  
The World ◽  
Role Of Religion

One of the most important reasons for such a clearly distressed state of society was the decline of religion as a social force, the external manifestation of which is the weakening of religious institutions. "Religion," Baha'u'llah writes, "is the greatest of all means of establishing order in the world to the universal satisfaction of those who live in it." The weakening of the foundations of religion strengthened the ranks of ignoramuses, gave them impudence and arrogance. "I truly say that everything that belittles the supreme role of religion opens way for the revelry of maliciousness, inevitably leading to anarchy. " In another Tablet, He says: "Religion is a radiant light and an impregnable fortress that ensures the safety and well-being of the peoples of the world, for God-fearing induces man to adhere to the good and to reject all evil." Blink the light of religion, and chaos and distemper will set in, the radiance of justice, justice, tranquility and peace. "

The problem of periodization of the history of religion

1997 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Borys Lobovyk
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Religious Development ◽  
History Of Religion ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Role Of Religion

An important problem of religious studies, the history of religion as a branch of knowledge is the periodization process of the development of religious phenomenon. It is precisely here, as in focus, that the question of the essence and meaning of the religious development of the human being of the world, the origin of beliefs and cult, the reasons for the changes in them, the place and role of religion in the social and spiritual process, etc., are converging.

External Factors of Big Business Transformation in Russia

2005 ◽  
pp. 72-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya. Pappe ◽  
Ya. Galukhina
Keyword(s):  
Financial Market ◽  
Capital Market ◽  
Business Groups ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Big Business ◽  
Business Transformation ◽  
Global Standards ◽  
The World ◽  
Principal Subject

The paper is devoted to the role of the global financial market in the development of Russian big business. It proves that terms and standards posed by this market as well as opportunities it offers determine major changes in Russian big business in the last three years. The article examines why Russian companies go abroad to attract capital and provides data, which indicate the scope of this phenomenon. It stresses the effects of Russian big business’s interaction with the world capital market, including the modification of the principal subject of Russian big business from integrated business groups to companies and the changes in companies’ behavior: they gradually move away from the so-called Russian specifics and adopt global standards.

Thoughts on the Long-Term Strategy, Science and Democracy

2006 ◽  
pp. 4-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Abalkin
Keyword(s):  
Strategy Development ◽  
Russian Science ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
The World ◽  
World Development ◽  
Crucial Condition

The article covers unified issues of the long-term strategy development, the role of science as well as democracy development in present-day Russia. The problems of budget proficit, the Stabilization Fund issues, implementation of the adopted national projects, an increasing role of regions in strengthening the integrity and prosperity of the country are analyzed. The author reveals that the protection of businessmen and citizens from the all-embracing power of bureaucrats is the crucial condition of democratization of the society. Global trends of the world development and expert functions of the Russian science are presented as well.

On retroeconomy

2017 ◽  
pp. 148-159
Author(s):  
V. Papava
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
International Competition ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government ◽  
Role Of The Government

This paper analyzes the problem of technological backwardness of economy. In many mostly developing countries their economies use obsolete technologies. This can create the illusion that this or that business is prosperous. At the level of international competition, however, it is obvious that these types of firms do not have any chance for success. Retroeconomics as a theory of technological backwardness and its detrimental effect upon a country’s economy is considered in the paper. The role of the government is very important for overcoming the effects of retroeconomy. The phenomenon of retroeconomy is already quite deep-rooted throughout the world and it is essential to consolidate the attention of economists and politicians on this threat.

On Energy Status indicators and the role of renewableEnergy under Economic Crisis

2014 ◽  
pp. 92-105
Author(s):  
P. Bezrukikh ◽  
P. Bezrukikh (Jr.)
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Primary Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Status ◽  
Economy Growth ◽  
The World ◽  
Production Regime

The article analyzes the dynamics of consumption of primary energy and production of electrical energy in the world for 1973-2012 and the volume of renewable energy. It is shown that in the crisis year of 20 0 9 there was a significant reduction in primary energy consumption and production of electrical energy. At the same time, renewable energy has developed rapidly, well above the rate of the world economy growth. The development of renewable energy is one of the most effective ways out of the crisis, taking into account its production regime, energy, environmental, social and economic efficiency. The forecast for the development of renewable energy for the period up to 2020, compiled by the IEA, is analyzed. It is shown that its assessment rates are conservative; the authors justify higher rates of development of renewable energy.

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