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    The possibilist commitments of an intended KQML interpret... — Carmelics
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    Home/Philosophy of Language
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    The possibilist commitments of an intended KQML interpretation cannot be eliminated by the fact that the sentence 'there exist things that are not actual' is false at every world in KQML

    Philosophy of Language
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    2 reasons for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
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    • 1.Kripke's possible worlds semantics requires that the domain function D assign objects to worlds, and those objects must exist in the metatheory regardless of which world is designated actual.
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    • 2.The union of all domains across worlds in a varying-domain model constitutes an ontological commitment to possibilia at the semantic level, as Lewis's distinction between inner and outer quantifiers establishes.
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    • 3.What a formal system is committed to is determined by its model-theoretic interpretation, not by which sentences are true within it—Quine's criterion applies to theories, not their internal sentences.
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    Reason for 2 of 2
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    • 1.Fine's work on arbitrary objects shows that semantic values assigned in a model can outrun what the object language can express, creating irreducible metatheoretic commitments.
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    • 2.If KQML's intended interpretation assigns non-actual possibilia as semantic values to terms or as domain elements, actualist paraphrase within the object language leaves those assignments intact.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.In KQML, the sentence asserting that there are non-actual things is false at every world due to quantifier restrictions
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    • 2.A metalinguistic fact about the ontological commitments of an interpretation is not expressible within the object language governed by that interpretation's semantics
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    • 3.The falsity of a sentence within a formal system does not entail the non-existence of the entities to which the interpretation is committed at the metalinguistic level
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    Topics

    Philosophy of LanguageModality & Possibility

    Key Terms

    KQML(Presented as an actualist alternative to SQML)
    A Kripke-style quantified modal logic that invalidates the Barcan Formula (BF), its converse (CBF), and BoxN by assigning to each world a variable domain of individuals actual at that world
    World (in modal logic)(as used in logic and metaphysics)
    A possible way things could be—philosophers use 'worlds' to talk about different scenarios or possibilities when discussing what could be true.
    actual(Parsons' theory of existent and non-existent objects)
    Synonym for 'existent' as used in Parsons' framework
    commitment(Game-theoretic bargaining strategy)
    A binding obligation, such as a contract, that removes a party's freedom to choose an alternative course of action and thereby makes their stated threat believable
    interpretation(Formal semantics for modal nonmonotonic logic)
    A complete, consistent set of literals
    modal(in logic and metaphysics)
    Dealing with possibility and necessity—questions about what could be true, what must be true, and what's merely contingent (could go either way).
    possibilist(describing a type of metaphysical commitment)
    A philosophical position that says some things can exist or be true even if they don't actually exist in the real world right now—like how a fictional character can be real in a story.

    Related

    A metalinguistic fact about the ontological commitments of an interpretation is ...Fine's work on arbitrary objects shows that semantic values assigned in a model ...If KQML's intended interpretation assigns non-actual possibilia as semantic valu...In KQML, the sentence asserting that there are non-actual things is false at eve...
    +4 moreShow less
    Kripke's possible worlds semantics requires that the domain function D assign ob...

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: possibilism-actualism
    View source passageHide passage
    On the face of it, KQML provides the actualist with a powerful alternative to SQML. However, one might well question its actualist credentials. Specifically, despite the invalidity of the actualistically objectionable principles BF, CBF, and \(\Box\textbf{N},\) it is questionable whether KQML has escaped ontological commitment to possibilia, for the following reason. KQML provides us with a formal semantics for (constant-free) modal languages \(\scrL_\Box\) and, in particular, an account of how
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    The falsity of a sentence within a formal system does not entail the non-existen...
    The union of all domains across worlds in a varying-domain model constitutes an ...
    What a formal system is committed to is determined by its model-theoretic interp...

    Similar

    In KQML, the sentence asserting that there are non-actual things is fa...85%Therefore the non-actual possible worlds in which possibilia exist are...84%The possibilist notion that a mere possibile persists at worlds where ...83%A sentence that commits to the existence of entities that do not exist...82%
    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (2 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit