Assertion and Conditionals

by Anthony Appiah

Overview

This book develops in detail the simple idea that assertion is the expression of belief. In it the author puts forward a version of 'probabilistic semantics' which acknowledges that we are not perfectly rational, and which offers a significant advance in generality on theories of meaning couched in terms of truth conditions. It promises to challenge a number of entrenched and widespread views about the relations of language and mind. Part I presents a functionalist account of belief, worked through a modified form of decision theory. In Part II the author generates a theory of meaning in terms of 'assertibility conditions', whereby to know the meaning of an assertion is to know the belief it expresses.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521071291
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/28/2008
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Philosophy
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

Table of Contents

1. Cartesianism, behaviourism and the philosophical context; Part I. Belief: 2. A theory of the mind; 3. Belief and decision; 4. Computation; 5. Truth conditions; Part II. Meaning: 6. Realism and truth-theory; 7. Assertion; Part III. Conditionals: 8. Indicative conditionals; 9. Truth and triviality; 10. Logic without truth; 11. Generalising the probabilistic semantics of conditionals.