Deflating Deflationism

<p>In this dissertation, I take a close look at the deflationary theory of truth, and deflationary semantics, generally. My thesis is that, as a theory about the nature and function of the property of truth, deflationism is well supported. However, deflationary semantics, which combines deflationism about truth with deflationism about meaning cannot be argued for by pointing to the expressive function of the truth predicate.</p> <p>Having shown that deflationism about meaning cannot be argued for in this way, I develop a challenge to deflationary semantics, the challenge of the <em>contingency of sentential truth conditions</em>. The challenge for the deflationist is to explain (or explain away) the fact that her view assigns the wrong modal properties to "true". As I show, the deflationist does not have the resources either to explain or to explain away this counter-intuitive feature of her view. Since, in addition, the arguments for deflationism do not support the adoption of a deflationary attitude towards meaning, I offer and support what I call <em>propositional deflationism</em>. Propositional deflationism deflates truth for propositions, thereby respecting the deflationist's contentions about the nature and function of truth, without deflating truth for sentences and beliefs. The result is a hybrid view that is deflationist about truth, though not about meaning.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Philosophy

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

1999

Author dc:creator

• Armour-Garb, Bradley Philip

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jerrold J. Katz

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Stephen Schiffer
• Arnold Koslow
• Jonathan Adler
• Simon Blackburn

• Philosophy

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1736

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-2760