Measurement theoretic semantics and the semantics of necessity

Eli Dresner

pp. 413-440

in: Synthese 130 (3), 2002.

Abstract

In the first two sections I present and motivate a formal semantics program that is modeled after the application of numbers in measurement (e.g., of length). Then, in the main part of the paper, I use the suggested framework to give an account of the semantics of necessity and possibility: (i) I show thatthe measurement theoretic framework is consistent with a robust (non-Quinean) view of modal logic, (ii) I give an account of the semantics of the modal notions within this framework, and (iii) I defend the suggested account against various objections.

Cited authors

Quine Willard Van Orman