Formal Semantics and Philosophical Logic

Robert van Rooij: Conditionals: causality and relevance


Speaker: Robert van Rooij
Title: Conditionals: causality and relevance
Date:
Time: 16:00 - 17:30
Location: Online, via Zoom

To join the meeting, please click https://uva-live.zoom.us/j/82932092819.

 

Abstract

In this talk I will discuss two (controversial) proposals: 1. To account for the probability of conditionals in terms of objective chances. I will argue for the naturalness of such an account from a Bayesian learning perspective, and argue that it is beneficial as well to account for embedded conditionals and learning from conditionals. 2. I will argue that a causal power analysis of conditionals is compatible with the existence of ‘irrelevance’ conditionals like ‘Even if Mary comes to the party, Bill will be unhappy’. If time permits, I will finally defend a causal analysis of correlative constructions like ‘The sooner this pandemic is over, the better’. (Some of this work is joint with Katrin Schulz.)