ENGLISH

Assertion and Conditionals

Book information

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1985
ISBN
0521304113, 9780521304115
LCC
BC199.C56 A67 1985
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
8 MB (8830964 bytes)
Series
Cambridge Studies in Philosophy
Pages
280\280
Scanned
yes
Time added
2012-03-10 16:00:00

Description

This book develops in detail the simple idea that assertion is the expression of belief. In it the author puts forward a version of 'probabilistic semantics' which acknowledges that we are not perfectly rational, and which offers a significant advance in generality on theories of meaning couched in terms of truth conditions. It promises to challenge a number of entrenched and widespread views about the relations of language and mind. Part I presents a functionalist account of belief, worked through a modified form of decision theory. In Part II the author generates a theory of meaning in terms of 'assertibility conditions', whereby to know the meaning of an assertion is to know the belief it expresses.

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