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Essays on the semantics of modality

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TitleInfo
Title
Essays on the semantics of modality
Name (type = personal)
NamePart (type = family)
Miller
NamePart (type = given)
Zachary John
DisplayForm
Zachary Miller
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
author
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NamePart (type = family)
Gillies
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Anthony
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Anthony Gillies
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Advisory Committee
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chair
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King
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Jeffrey
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Jeffrey King
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Advisory Committee
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internal member
Name (type = personal)
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Lepore
NamePart (type = given)
Ernest
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Ernest Lepore
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Advisory Committee
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internal member
Name (type = personal)
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Weatherson
NamePart (type = given)
Brian
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Brian Weatherson
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Advisory Committee
Role
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outside member
Name (type = corporate)
NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
degree grantor
Name (type = corporate)
NamePart
Graduate School - New Brunswick
Role
RoleTerm (authority = RULIB)
school
TypeOfResource
Text
Genre (authority = marcgt)
theses
OriginInfo
DateCreated (qualifier = exact)
2013
DateOther (qualifier = exact); (type = degree)
2013-10
Place
PlaceTerm (type = code)
xx
Language
LanguageTerm (authority = ISO639-2b); (type = code)
eng
Abstract (type = abstract)
This is a dissertation on the semantics of modality and related topics. Each of the three chapters takes aim one of the most widely held assumptions concerning the semantics of modality. The assumption is criticized, and a replacement is developed to take its place. In the first chapter I take up the idea that permission should be semantically analyzed as existential quantification over possibilities. I argue that we should instead adopt an analysis involving universal quantification. The difference between permission and obligation is not one of quantificational strength, but rather one of quantificational structure. I conclude by considering how these arguments might be generalized to every flavor of modality. In the second chapter I continue with the topic of modal flavors, and I ask how we should differentiate these flavors. The traditional approach to flavor differentiation locates all flavor differences in the modal semantics: modal claims differ in flavor because they differ in meaning. I argue against this approach. I argue that the vast majority of flavor differences are not semantic differences. In the third chapter I take up the idea, ubiquitous in philosophy and linguistics, that one can use Gricean pragmatics to explain away recalcitrant data concerning the acceptability of inferences. This move, already discussed at length in chapter one, is commonly employed in debates over the semantics of modality. I argue that many of these pragmatic "rescues" are misguided. More specifically, I argue that when we can reformulate recalcitrant data in non-conversational terms (e.g., epistemological or metaphysical terms), then a pragmatic explanation of the data is out of place.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Philosophy
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_5023
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
vii, 99 p.
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Zachary John Miller
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Modality (Linguistics)
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
English language--Modality
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Modality (Logic)
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore19991600001
Location
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NjNbRU
Identifier (type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T3KK98TQ
Genre (authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights

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The author owns the copyright to this work.
RightsHolder (type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Miller
GivenName
Zachary
Role
Copyright Holder
RightsEvent
Type
Permission or license
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (qualifier = exact); (point = start)
2013-09-22 22:39:50
AssociatedEntity
Name
Zachary Miller
Role
Copyright holder
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
AssociatedObject
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
RightsEvent
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (qualifier = exact); (point = start)
2013-10-31
DateTime (encoding = w3cdtf); (qualifier = exact); (point = end)
2015-10-31
Type
Embargo
Detail
Access to this PDF has been restricted at the author's request. It will be publicly available after October 31st, 2015.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
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ETD
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windows xp
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