Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.31820/ejap.13.2.1

Different Arguments, Same Problems. Modal Ambiguity and Tricky Substitutions

Rafal Urbaniak ; Ghent University and University of Gdansk

Abstract

I illustrate with three classical examples the mistakes arising from using a modal operator admitting multiple interpretations in the same argument; the flaws arise especially easily if no attention is paid to the range of propositional variables. Premisses taken separately might seem convincing and a substitution for a propositional variable in a modal context might seem legitimate. But there is no single interpretation of the modal operators involved under which all the premisses are plausible and the substitution successful.

Keywords

Church-Fitch paradox; futura contingentia; modal logic; modal operators; propositional quantification; Swinburne’s modal argument

Hrčak ID:

203338

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/203338

Publication date:

9.7.2018.

Visits: 904 *