At least many conditionals seem to convey the existence of a link between their antecedent and consequent. We draw on a recently proposed typology of conditionals to revive an old philosophical idea according to which the link is inferential in nature. We show that the proposal has explanatory force by presenting empirical results on two Dutch linguistic markers.

The Fauconnier-Ladusaw analysis of negative polarity licensing (that NPIs are licensed in the scope of downward entailing operators) continues to be the benchmark theory of negative polarity. In this paper, I consider some of the moves that are needed to maintain its basic intuition in some recalcitrant arenas: negative polarity licensing by only, adversatives, superlatives, and conditionals. W...

This paper presents a new deductive argument for the strict conditional analysis of counterfactual conditionals, as against the dominant variably strict analysis due to Robert Stalnaker (1968) and David Lewis (1973). Counterfactual conditionals belong to a broader linguistic family of counterfactual modals. The argument offered here turns on facts about the logical interaction of counterfactual...

Abstract One of the main contributions Richard Bradley’s book is an elegant extension Jeffrey’s Logic Decision that countenances evaluation conditional prospects. This offers a promising new setting in which to model dynamic choice. In framework, plans can be understood as conditionals appropriate sort, while consistency viewed providing constraint on across time. this paper, we study connectio...

Abstract We propose a new account of indicative conditionals, giving acceptability and logical closure conditions for them. start from Adams’ Thesis: the claim that simple equals corresponding conditional probability. The Thesis is widely endorsed, but arguably false refuted by empirical research. To fix it, we submit, need relevance constraint: accept $$\varphi \rightarrow \psi$$ <mml:math xml...

I argue that taking the Practical Conditionals Thesis (PCT) seriously demands a new understanding of the semantics of such conditionals. Practical Conditionals Thesis: A practical conditional [if A][ought(B)] expresses B’s conditional preferability given A Paul Weirich has argued that the conditional utility of a state of affairs B on A is to be identified as the degree to which it is desired u...

Indicative conditionals sometimes communicate that the consequent would follow causally or evidentially from the antecedent, and sometimes that it holds independently of the antecedent. On all standard accounts of indicatives, however, such relations of consequence and independence fall outside the content of conditionals. Instead, they are inferred pragmatically from the fact that a sentence w...