It has been suggested that intuitions supporting the nonvacuity of counterpossibles can be explained by distinguishing an epistemic and a metaphysical reading of counterfactuals. Such an explanation must answer why we tend to neglect the distinction of the two readings. By way of an answer, I offer a generalized pattern for explaining nonvacuity intuitions by a stand-and-fall relationship to certain indicative conditionals. Then, I present reasons for doubting the proposal: nonvacuists can use the epistemic reading to turn the table against vacuists, telling apart significant from spurious intuitions. Moreover, our intuitions tend to survive even if we clear-headedly intend a metaphysical reading.

Are Counterpossibles Epistemic? / D. Dohrn. - In: PACIFIC PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY. - ISSN 0279-0750. - 102:1(2021 Mar), pp. 51-72. [10.1111/papq.12332]

Are Counterpossibles Epistemic?

D. Dohrn
2021

Abstract

It has been suggested that intuitions supporting the nonvacuity of counterpossibles can be explained by distinguishing an epistemic and a metaphysical reading of counterfactuals. Such an explanation must answer why we tend to neglect the distinction of the two readings. By way of an answer, I offer a generalized pattern for explaining nonvacuity intuitions by a stand-and-fall relationship to certain indicative conditionals. Then, I present reasons for doubting the proposal: nonvacuists can use the epistemic reading to turn the table against vacuists, telling apart significant from spurious intuitions. Moreover, our intuitions tend to survive even if we clear-headedly intend a metaphysical reading.
No
English
Settore M-FIL/01 - Filosofia Teoretica
Settore M-FIL/05 - Filosofia e Teoria dei Linguaggi
Articolo
Esperti anonimi
Ricerca di base
Pubblicazione scientifica
   Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022 - Dipartimento di FILOSOFIA
   MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E DEL MERITO
mar-2021
feb-2021
Wiley Blackwell Publishing
102
1
51
72
22
Pubblicato
Periodico con rilevanza internazionale
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/papq.12332
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Are Counterpossibles Epistemic? / D. Dohrn. - In: PACIFIC PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY. - ISSN 0279-0750. - 102:1(2021 Mar), pp. 51-72. [10.1111/papq.12332]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/882042
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