Alexander Sandgren: "Interpretation and Truth"

  • Datum: –12.00
  • Plats: Engelska parken - Eng2-1022
  • Arrangör: Filosofiska institutionen
  • Kontaktperson: Matti Eklund
  • Seminarium

Högre seminariet i teoretisk filosofi

Alexander Sandgren, Umeå universitet: "Interpretation and Truth: A Better Solution to Putnam’s Paradox"

In ‘Putnam’s Paradox’, David Lewis considers an argument for the conclusion that all claims (and beliefs) are true. This conclusion is taken by almost everyone (with the notable exception of Catherine Elgin) to be disastrous. The most common response to the argument, favoured by Lewis himself and others, is to avoid the conclusion by appealing to eligibility constraints on interpretation that are not tied to the psychology or conventions of representors either individually or collectively; some things (and contents) are just objectively more eligible to be represented in thought and talk. In this paper I defend a different response to the argument that is rather less metaphysically extravagant, and fits better with how linguistic and mental representations are used in science and everyday life.