If P, Then Q: Conditionals and the Foundations of Reasoning

by David Sanford

Overview

This new edition includes three new chapters, updating the book to take into account developments in the field over the past fifteen years.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415283694
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/19/2002
Edition description:	2nd
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

David Sanford is Professor of Philosophy at Duke University, North Carolina, USA.

Table of Contents

Introduction Conditionals in Everyday Life and in Philosophy; I: The History of Philosophical Treatments of Conditionals; I: Ancient History; II: Medieval and Post-medieval History; III: Rediscovery of the Material Conditional; IV: Rediscovery of the Strict Conditional; V: Subjunctive Conditionals and Covering Laws; VI: Belief and Probability; VII: Possible Worlds; II: A New Treatment of Conditionals; VIII: Inference, Entailment, and the Purposes of Theories; IX: Problems with the Ramsey Test, Possible Worlds, and Probability; X: Various Visions of Possible Worlds; XI: Laws and Conditions; XII: Counterfactual Dependence and Backtracking; XIII: Patterns of Dependence; XIV: Objective Dependence; XV: A Problem with Validity

Editorial Reviews

'Undergraduates will find the book useful as a resource. It covers a lot of ground mentioning most of the issues and positions that need to be addressed in a course on conditionals over the years. This is a good place to learn about conditionals or to have one's ideas about them challenged.' - Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic

'A useful starting point for a course on conditionals. The introductions to the issues are clear and well-illustrated with examples.' - Dialogue

'If P Then Q is recommended reading for all who want to work in this suprisingly rich field.' - Australasian Journal of Philosophy

'Undergraduates will find the book useful as a resource. It covers a lot of ground mentioning most of the issues and positions that need to be addressed in a course on conditionals over the years. This is a good place to learn about conditionals or to have one's ideas about them challenged.' - Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic

'A useful starting point for a course on conditionals. The introductions to the issues are clear and well-illustrated with examples.' - Dialogue

From the Publisher