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Semantic Theory
In truth-conditional semantics, the meaning of a sentence is...
its truth conditions
Semantic Theory
Assume the actual world as the mode. For the following sentences, selebt them only if they are true:
a) Berlin is the capital of Germany.
b) Germany is a country in South Africa.
c) Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania.
d) Lithuania is a country in Africa.
a) and c) are correct
Semantic Theory
Assume a state of affairs in which there is a man called Homer, a woman called Marge. They have three children: Bart (a boy), Lisa (a girl) and Maggie (a girl). For the following sentences, select them only if they are true.
(a) Bart is Maggie’s brother.
(b) Homer is Maggie’s brother.
(c) Lisa is Marge’s daughter.
(d) Lisa and Maggie are brothers
The correct answer is a and c
Semantic Theory
Now assume a world that is like the actual world except that Bonn is the unique capital of Germany, there is a man Homer and his three siblings are called Bart (a boy), Lisa (a girl) and Maggie (a girl). For the following sentences, select them only if they are true.
(a) Berlin is the capital of Germany.
(b) Homer is Maggie’s brother.
(c) Homer and Bart are brothers.
(d) Homer is Lisa’s father.
The correct answers are b) and c)
Semantic Theory
What’s the difference between a state of affairs and a possible world?
A possible world is a complete specification of how things are whereas a state of affairs may leave things open
Semantic Theory
Distinguishing between truth conditions and truth values:
It rained in Vilnius on April 25 1240.
truth conditions
Semantic Theory
An entailment is a type of
implication
Semantic Theory
If sentence A entails sentence B, then sentence A...B
implies
Semantic Theory
Which expressions are synonyms for 'implication'?
- meaning
- inference
Semantic Theory
A sentence A entails a sentence B if whenever A is... and B is...too.
The correct answer is 'true' and 'true'
Semantic Theory
Assume that the inference B arises from the sentence A. To identify whether B is entailed by A or conversationally implicated A, we apply the defeasibility diagnostic. How does this diagnostic work?
We combine sentence A with the negation of B. If the resulting example (e.g., A and not B) is self-contradictory, B is entailed by A. If the resulting example is not self-contradictory, B is not entailed by A.
Semantic Theory
Identify whether the following sentence stands in contrary or contradictory relation to 'Everybody danced'
- Is is not the case that everybody danced
Contradiction
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