Desirability of Conditionals

Stefánsson, H. Orri | 2016

Synthese, Volume 193, Issue 6,  pp. 1967–1981
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-015-0823-0

Sammanfattning

This paper explores the different ways in which conditionals can be carriers of good and bad news. I suggest a general measure of the desirability of conditionals, and use it to explore the different ways in which conditionals can have news value. I conclude by arguing that the desirability of a counterfactual conditional cannot be reduced to the desirability of factual propositions.

 

Synthese, Volume 193, Issue 6,  pp. 1967–1981
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-015-0823-0

Sammanfattning

This paper explores the different ways in which conditionals can be carriers of good and bad news. I suggest a general measure of the desirability of conditionals, and use it to explore the different ways in which conditionals can have news value. I conclude by arguing that the desirability of a counterfactual conditional cannot be reduced to the desirability of factual propositions.