Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Counterfactuals, correlatives, and disjunction

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Linguistics and Philosophy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The natural interpretation of counterfactuals with disjunctive antecedents involves selecting from each of the disjuncts the worlds that come closest to the world of evaluation. It has been long noticed that capturing this interpretation poses a problem for a minimal change semantics for counterfactuals, because selecting the closest worlds from each disjunct requires accessing the denotation of the disjuncts from the denotation of the disjunctive antecedent, which the standard boolean analysis of or does not allow (Creary and Hill, Philosophy of Science 43:341–344, 1975; Nute, Journal of Philosophy 72:773–778, 1975; Fine, Mind 84(335):451–458, 1975; Ellis et al. Journal of Philosophical Logic 6:335–357, 1977). This paper argues that the failure to capture the natural interpretation of disjunctive counterfactuals provides no reason to abandon a minimal change semantics. It shows that the natural interpretation of disjunctive counterfactuals is expected once we refine our assumptions about the semantics of or and the logical form of conditionals, and (i) we assume that disjunctions introduce propositional alternatives in the semantic derivation, in line with independently motivated proposals about the semantics of or (Aloni, 2003a; Simons, Natural Language Semantics 13:271–316, 2005; Alonso-Ovalle, Disjunction in Alternative Semantics. PhD thesis, 2006); and (ii) we treat conditionals as correlative constructions, as advocated in von Fintel (1994), Izvorski (Proceedings of NELS 26, 1996), Bhatt and Pancheva (2006), and Schlenker (2004).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aloni, M. (2003a). Free choice in modal contexts. In M. Weisgerber (Ed.), Proceedings of the conference “SuB7—Sinn und Bedeutung”. Arbeitspapier Nr. 114 (pp. 28–37). Konstanz.

  • Aloni, M. (2003b). On choice-offering imperatives. In P. Dekker & R. van Rooy (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourteenth Amsterdam Colloquium, Amsterdam.

  • Alonso-Ovalle, L. (2004). Simplification of disjunctive antecedents. In K. Moulton & M. Wolf (Eds.), Proceedings of the North East Linguistic Society. Amherst, MA, pp. 1–15.

  • Alonso-Ovalle, L. (2006). Disjunction in alternative semantics. Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.

  • Alonso-Ovalle L. (2008) Innocent exclusion in an alternative semantics. Natural Language Semantics 16: 115–128. doi:10.1007/s11050-008-9027-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alonso-Ovalle, L., & Menéndez-Benito, P. (2003). Some epistemic indefinites. In M. Kadowaki & S. Kawahara (Eds.), Proceedings of the North East Linguistic Society (Vol. 33, pp. 1–12). Amherst. MA: GLSA.

  • Alonso-Ovalle, L., & Menéndez-Benito, P. (in preparation). Exceptional scope and specificity: The case of Spanish. University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Goettingen, ms.

  • Beck S. (2001) Reciprocals and definites. Natural Language Semantics 9: 69–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett J. (2003) A philosophical guide to conditionals. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bhatt, R., & Pancheva, R. (2006). Conditionals. In The Blackwell companion to syntax (Vol. I, pp. 638–687). Oxford: Blackwell.

  • Creary L., Hill C. (1975) Review of counterfactuals. Philosophy of Science 43: 341–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dayal V. et al (1995) Quantification in correlatives. In: Batch E. (eds) Quantification in natural languages. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 179–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Dayal V. (1996) Locality in Wh-quantification. Questions and relative clauses in Hindi. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • den Dikken M. (2006) Either-floar and the syntax of co-or-dination. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 3(24): 689–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis B., Jackson F., Pargetter R. (1977) An objection to possible-world semantics for counterfactual logics. Journal of Philosophical Logic 6: 355–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fine K. (1975) Critical notice: Counterfactuals by David K. Lewis. Mind 84(335): 451–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Fintel, K. (1994). Restrictions on quantifier domains. Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.

  • von Fintel K. (1997) Notes on disjunctive antecedents in conditionals. Cambridge, MA, Ms., MIT

    Google Scholar 

  • von Fintel K. (1999) NPI licensing, Strawson-entailment, and context-dependency. Journal of Semantics 16(2): 97–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Fintel K. (2001) Counterfactuals in a dynamic context. In: Kenstowicz M. (eds) Ken Hale. A life in language. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 123–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallin D. (1975) Intensional and higher-order modal logic. Noth-Holland, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagstrom, P. (1998). Decomposing questions. Ph.D. thesis, MIT, Cambridge, MA.

  • Hamblin C.L. (1973) Questions in Montague English. Foundations of Language 10: 41–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Hegarty M. (1996) The role of categorization in the contribution of conditional then: Comments on Iatridou. Natural Language Semantics 4(1): 111–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heim, I. (1982). The semantics of definite and indefinite noun phrases. Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.

  • Heim I., Kratzer A. (1998) Semantics in generative grammar. Blackwell, Malden, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Herburger, E., & Mauck, S. (2007). (Disjunctive) Conditionals. Ms. Georgetown University.

  • Iatridou S. (1991a) If then, then what?. NELS 22: 211–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Iatridou, S. (1991b). Topics in conditionals. Ph.D. thesis, MIT, Cambridge, MA.

  • Iatridou S. (1994) On the contribution of conditional then. Natural Language Semantics 2(3): 171–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izvorski, R. (1996). The syntax and semantics of correlative proforms. In K. Kusumoto (Ed.), Proceedings of NELS, 26 (pp. 189–203). Amherst, MA: GLSA.

  • Kratzer A. (1977) What ‘must’ and ‘can’ must and can mean. Linguistics and Philosophy 1(3): 337–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kratzer A. (1979) Conditional necessity and possibility. In: Bäuerle R., Egli U., von Stechow A. (eds) Semantics from different points of view. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 117–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Kratzer A. (1991) Conditionals. In: von Stechow A., Wunderlich D. (eds) Semantics: An international handbook of contemporary research. de Gruyter, Berlin, pp 651–656

    Google Scholar 

  • Kratzer A., Shimoyama J. (2002) Indeterminate phrases: The view from Japanese. In: Otsu Y. (eds) The Proceedings of the third Tokyo conference on psycholinguistics. Hituzi Syobo, Tokyo, pp 1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladusaw W. (1980) Polarity sensitivity as inherent scope relations. Garland, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis D. (1973) Counterfactuals. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis D. (1977) Possible-world semantics for counterfactual logics: A rejoinder. Journal of Philosophical Logic 6: 359–363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loebner S. (1998) Polarity in natural language: Predication, quantification and negation in particular and characterizing sentences. Linguistics and Philosophy 23: 213–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menéndez-Benito, P. (2005). The grammar of choice. Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.

  • Munn, A. (1993). Topics in the syntax and semantics of coordinate structures. Ph.D. thesis, The University of Maryland, College Park.

  • Nute D. (1975) Counterfactuals and the similarity of worlds. Journal of Philosophy, 72: 773–778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nute D. (1980) Conversational scorekeeping and conditionals. Journal of Philosophical Logic 9: 153–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nute D. (1984) Conditional logic. In: Gabbay D., Guenthner F. (eds) Handbook of philosophical logic Vol. II. Reidel, Dordrecht, pp 387–439

    Google Scholar 

  • Nute, D., & Cross, C. B. (2001). Conditional logic. In D. M. Gabbay & F. Guenthner (Eds.), Handbook of philosophical logic (2nd ed., Vol. 4, pp. 1–98). Dordrecht: Kluwer.

  • Ramchand G.C. (1997) Questions, polarity, and alternative semantics. In: Kusumoto K. (eds) Proceedings of NELS Vol. 27. MA, Amherst, pp 383–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Rooth, M. (1985). Association with focus. Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

  • Rooth M. (1992) A theory of focus interpretation. Natural Language Semantics 1(1): 75–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rooth, M., & Partee, B. (1982). Conjunction, type ambiguity, and wide scope “or”. In D. Flickinger, M. Macken, & N. Wiegand (Eds.), Proceedings of the first west coast conference on formal linguistics (pp. 353–362). Stanford Linguistics Association.

  • Schlenker P. (2004) Conditionals as definite descriptions (a referential analysis). Research on language and computation 2(3): 417–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzschild R. (1994) Plurals, presuppositions, and the sources of distributivity. Natural Language Semantics 2: 201–249

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons M. (2005) Dividing things up: The semantics of “or” and the modal/ “or” interaction. Natural Language Semantics 13: 271–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastav V. (1991a) The syntax and semantics of correlatives. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 9: 637–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastav, V. (1991b). Wh-dependencies in Hindi and the theory of grammar. Ph.D. thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

  • Stalnaker R. (1984) Inquiry. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Stalnaker R.C. (1968) Atheory of conditionals. In: Rescher N. (eds) Studies in logical theory. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 98–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Stalnaker R.C., Thomason R. (1970) A semantic analysis of conditional logic. Theoria 36(1): 23–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Rooij R. (2006) Free choice counterfactual donkeys. Journal of Semantics 23(4): 383–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Rooij, R., & Schulz, K. (2007). Extending grice. Presentation at Journées Sémantique & Modélisation 2007, CNRS & Université Paris 8 Vincennes/St-Denis.

  • Warmbrōod K. (1981) Counterfactuals and substitution of equivalent antecedents. Journal of Philosophical Logic 10: 267–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02125, USA

    Luis Alonso-Ovalle

Authors
  1. Luis Alonso-Ovalle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis Alonso-Ovalle.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Alonso-Ovalle, L. Counterfactuals, correlatives, and disjunction. Linguist and Philos 32, 207–244 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10988-009-9059-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10988-009-9059-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation