A problem for downward closure in the semantics of counterfactuals

Open Access
Authors
Publication date 2024
Host editors
  • A. Pavlova
  • M.Y. Pedersen
  • R. Bernardi
Book title Selected Reflections in Language, Logic, and Information
Book subtitle ESSLLI 2019, ESSLLI 2020 and ESSLLI 2021 Student Sessions : selected papers
ISBN
  • 9783031506277
ISBN (electronic)
  • 9783031506284
Series Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Event 2019 European Summer School in Logic, Language and Information Student Session
Pages (from-to) 177-186
Publisher Cham: Springer
Organisations
  • Interfacultary Research - Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC)
Abstract
Ciardelli et al. (2018) adopt the framework of inquisitive semantics to provide a novel semantics for counterfactuals. They argue in favour of adopting inquisitive semantics based on experimental evidence that De Morgan's law, which fails in inquisitive semantics, is invalid in counterfactual antecedents. We show that a unique feature of inquisitive semantics—the fact that its meanings are downward closed—undermines Ciardelli et al. (2018)'s semantic account of their data. The scenarios we consider suggest either adopting a semantic framework other than inquisitive semantics, or developing a non-semantic explanation of the phenomena Ciardelli et al. (2018) seek to explain.
Document type Conference contribution
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50628-4_11
Downloads
978-3-031-50628-4_11 (Final published version)
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