Similarity and cotenability

Synthese 190 (4):681-691 (2013)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

In this paper I present some difficulties for Lewis’s and similar theories of counterfactuals, and suggest that the problem lies in the notion of absolute similarity. In order to explain the problem, I discuss the relation between Lewis’s and Goodman’s theory, and show that the two theories are not related in the way Lewis thought they were.

Categories

Keywords

Reprint years

DOI

10.1007/s11229-012-0198-4

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 93,745

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

My notes

Similar books and articles

Lewis on Backward Causation.Ryan Wasserman - 2015 - Thought: A Journal of Philosophy 4 (3):141-150.
A survey of David Lewis's theory of counterfactuals: resolved difficulties and resilient obstacles.Thad Botham - 1999 - Dissertation, Texas a&M University
The Future Similarity Objection Revisited.Ryan Wasserman - 2006 - Synthese 150 (1):57-67.
Counterfactuals and their Truthmakers.Joshua Anderson - 2014 - Polish Journal of Philosophy 8 (2):7-24.
Embedded counterfactuals and possible worlds semantics.Charles B. Cross - 2016 - Philosophical Studies 173 (3):665-673.
Counterpossibles and Similarity.David Vander Laan - 2004 - In Frank Jackson & Graham Priest (eds.), Lewisian themes: the philosophy of David K. Lewis. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 258-275.
A new future similarity objection.Thomas Kroedel - 2018 - Philosophical Studies 175 (6):1477-1493.
Counterfactual analysis: Can the metalinguistic theory be revitalized?John F. Halpin - 1989 - Synthese 81 (1):47 - 62.
Counterfactual analyses of causation: The problem of effects and epiphenomena revisited.Stephen Barker - 2003 - Noûs 37 (1):133–150.
Antecedent-Relative Comparative World Similarity.Charles B. Cross - 2008 - Journal of Philosophical Logic 37 (2):101-120.

Analytics

Added to PP
2012-10-03

Downloads
133 (#34,792)

6 months
2 (#1,816,284)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Vladan Djordjevic
University of Alberta (PhD)

Citations of this work

Semantics for Counterpossibles.Yale Weiss - 2017 - Australasian Journal of Logic 14 (4):383-407.
Is unsaying polite?Berislav Žarnić - 2011 - In Majda Trobok, Nenad Miščević & Berislav Žarnić (eds.), Between Logic and Reality: Modeling Inference, Action and Understanding. Dordrecht and New York: Springer. pp. 201--224.
Goodman's Only World.Vladan Djordjevic - 2011 - In Majda Trobok, Nenad Miščević & Berislav Žarnić (eds.), Between Logic and Reality: Modeling Inference, Action and Understanding. Dordrecht and New York: Springer. pp. 269.

Add more citations

References found in this work

Counterfactuals.David K. Lewis - 1973 - Malden, Mass.: Blackwell.
Counterfactuals.David Lewis - 1973 - Tijdschrift Voor Filosofie 36 (3):602-605.
The problem of counterfactual conditionals.Nelson Goodman - 1947 - Journal of Philosophy 44 (5):113-128.
Counterfactuals And Possible Worlds.Jonathan Bennett - 1974 - Canadian Journal of Philosophy 4 (December):381-402.

View all 10 references / Add more references