Assertion and Conditionals

Anthony Appiah

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511895975

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.

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi
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Contents
pp vii-x
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Acknowledgements
pp xi-xii
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Notation
pp xiii-xiv
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1 - Cartesianism, behaviourism and the philosophical context
pp 1-8
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Part I - Belief
pp 9-10
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2 - A theory of the mind
pp 11-38
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3 - Belief and decision
pp 39-72
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4 - Computation
pp 73-99
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5 - Truth conditions
pp 100-120
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Part II - Meaning
pp 121-122
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6 - Realism and truth-theory
pp 123-142
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7 - Assertion
pp 143-158
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Part III - Conditionals
pp 159-160
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8 - Indicative conditionals
pp 161-191
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9 - Truth and triviality
pp 192-212
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10 - Logic without truth
pp 213-233
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11 - Generalising the probabilistic semantics of conditionals
pp 234-252
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Epilogue
pp 253-253
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Bibliography
pp 254-261
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Index of names
pp 262-263
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Index of key terms
pp 264-265
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Assertion and Conditionals

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-vi

Contents
pp vii-x

Acknowledgements
pp xi-xii

Notation
pp xiii-xiv

1 - Cartesianism, behaviourism and the philosophical context
pp 1-8

Part I - Belief
pp 9-10

2 - A theory of the mind
pp 11-38

3 - Belief and decision
pp 39-72

4 - Computation
pp 73-99

5 - Truth conditions
pp 100-120

Part II - Meaning
pp 121-122

6 - Realism and truth-theory
pp 123-142

7 - Assertion
pp 143-158

Part III - Conditionals
pp 159-160

8 - Indicative conditionals
pp 161-191

9 - Truth and triviality
pp 192-212

10 - Logic without truth
pp 213-233

11 - Generalising the probabilistic semantics of conditionals
pp 234-252

Epilogue
pp 253-253

Bibliography
pp 254-261

Index of names
pp 262-263

Index of key terms
pp 264-265

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Assertion and Conditionals

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