On Conceiving the Inconsistent

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

I present an approach to our conceiving absolute impossibilities—things which obtain at no possible world—in terms of ceteris paribus intentional operators: variably restricted quantifiers on possible and impossible worlds based on world similarity. The explicit content of a representation plays a role similar in some respects to the one of a ceteris paribus conditional antecedent. I discuss how such operators invalidate logical closure for conceivability, and how similarity works when impossible worlds are around. Unlike what happens with ceteris paribus counterfactual conditionals, the closest worlds are relevantly closest belief-worlds: closest to how things are believed to be, rather than to how they are. Also, closeness takes into account apriority and the opacity of intentional contexts.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the Aristotelian Society
Pages103-121
Number of pages19
Volume114
Edition1_pt_1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2014

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Aristotelian Society
PublisherOxford University Press
ISSN (Print)0066-7374

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'On Conceiving the Inconsistent'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this