The Bi–OT explanation is based on the principle of weak optimality, a generalisation of a rule known as Horn’s division of pragmatic labour [10, p. 22]: Marked forms typically get a marked interpretation, and unmarked forms an unmarked interpretation. Kill is the less marked form, and if we assume that speakers prefer less marked forms over marked forms, then kill is the optimal way to denote a...

A non-uniqueness result for the canonical structure in quantum theory shows that the classical part of the Copenhagen interpretation contains physically important information not contained in it’s quantum part. As a consequence, we cannot compute the symmetry group of a quantum theory considering only the quantum part. The unavoidable vagueness of the classical part therefore leads to a similar...

Overview: Mapping along the coastlines of the United States has historically been an epic battle for the most accurate representation of the shoreline. This effort has been felt by all agencies of the government and private sector as inhabitation near our oceans has skyrocketed in the last half century. These agencies look for the most accurate data to convey to their constituents, customers an...

In this paper, we consider finite normal form games satisfying transference of decisionmaker indifference. We show that any set of strategies surviving k rounds of elimination of some weakly dominated strategies can be reduced to a set of strategies equivalent to the set of strategies surviving k rounds of elimination of all weakly dominated strategies in every round by (at most k) further roun...

1 Focus and anaphoric destressing Consider a pronunciation of (1) with prominence on the capitalized noun phrases. In terms of a relational notion of prominence, the subject NP she] is prominent within the clause S she beats me], and NP Sue] is prominent within the clause S Sue beats me]. This prosody seems to have the pragmatic function of putting the two clauses into opposition, with prominen...

Pure interpretations of quantum theory, which reject the classical part of the Copenhagen interpretation without adding new structure to it’s quantum part, are not viable. This is a consequence of a non-uniqueness result for the canonical operators.

This article examines the implications of both individual and collective dimensions of the right to self-identify and reappraises the key challenges to its realisation. The article argues that the status of the right to self-identify as a fundamental right remains unclear, over a quarter of a century after its inclusion in the CSCE/OSCE Copenhagen Document in 1990. The article starts by revisit...

At the 1927 Como conference Bohr spoke the famous words “It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about nature.” However, if the Copenhagen interpretation really adheres to this motto, why then is there this nagging feeling of conflict when comparing it with realist interpretations? Surely what one can say about nature should i...

During the last ten years or so, derivations of the Born rule based on decision theory have been proposed and developed, and it is claimed that these are valid in the context of the Everett interpretation. This claim is critically assessed and it is shown that one of its key assumptions is a natural consequence of the principles underlying the Copenhagen interpretation, but constitutes a major ...

This is the retyped and slightly reformulated version of a paper that was circulated and semi-officially published already in 1981 in the Epistemological Letters of the Ferdinand-Gonseth Association in Biel (Switzerland) as Letter No 63.0. (Therefore, terms such as " new " or " recent " refer to that year.) This paper offered a " discussion of the epistemological implications of quantum theory ...