It is generally agreed that dispositions cannot be analyzed in terms of simple subjunctive conditionals (because of what are called ‘‘masked dispositions’’ and ‘‘finkish dispositions’’). I here defend a qualified subjunctive account of dispositions according to which an object is disposed to U when conditions C obtain if and only if, if conditions C were to obtain, then the object would U ceter...

E-learning deals with knowledge management, for sure, and knowledge management very frequently results in learning. So far, there is an obviously close relationship between the two disciplines. However, deeper insights do not arise easily. Here we investigate how one approach to enhancing information-access interfaces may inspire an improvement in knowledge management for e-learning. Subjunctiv...

This paper develops an account of mood selection with attitude predicates in French. I start by examining the “contextual commitment” account of mood developed by Paul Portner and Aynat Rubinstein (P&R). I raise empirical and theoretical challenges for P&R’s analysis of contextual commitment and its role in P&R’s explanations of mood selection. There are indicativeselecting verbs that are felic...

In light of the chance that the plate will be saved by a sudden gust of hot air, what should we say about the truth conditions of the ordinary conditional (1b)? Some theories predict that (1b) is true. For instance, Lewis 1973b says that the plate being saved by friendly air currents is a remarkable low-probability event, and that worlds where such events happen are farther away than worlds whe...

Abstract According to orthodoxy, there are two basic moods of supposition: indicative and subjunctive. The most popular formalizations the corresponding norms suppositional judgement given by Bayesian conditionalization Lewisian imaging, respectively. It is well known that can be generalized (via Jeffrey conditionalization) provide a model for partial supposition. This raises question whether i...

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new type of NPI licensing context through French subjunctive and ne explétif. The distribution of NPIs on previous studies does not exactly correspond to negative function types. French subjunctive and ne expletif are good guidelines for reclassifying NPI licensing context. My classification is by a hierarchy of strength in negative force: overtly negat...

Counterfactual conditionals are frequently used in language to express potentially valid reasoning from factually false suppositions. Counterfactuals provide two pieces of information: their literal meaning expresses a suppositional dependency between an antecedent (If the dice had been rigged…) and a consequent (… then the game would have been unfair). Their second, backgrounded meaning refers...

in a broader context of arguing against the view that conceivability provides epistemic access to the metaphysical modalities. His goal is “to identify the sources and forms of our knowledge of metaphysical possibility and metaphysical necessity” (205). 1 The account proceeds in two stages. First, he contends that “metaphysical necessity and metaphysical possibility can be reductively explained...