On the semantics and pragmatics of epistemic vocabulary

Abstract

This paper motivates and develops a novel semantics for several epistemic expressions, including possibility modals and indicative conditionals. The semantics I defend constitutes an alternative to standard truth conditionaltheories, as it assigns sets of probability spaces as sentential semantic values. I argue that what my theory lacks in conservatism is made up for by its strength. In particular, my semantics accounts for the distinctivebehavior of nested epistemic modals, indicative conditionals embedded under probability operators, and instances of constructive dilemma containing epistemic vocabulary.