Single Idea 15031

[catalogued under 10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 1. Sources of Necessity]

Full Idea

English modals are context-dependent through and through; there is no stable 'outer modality'.

Gist of Idea

Modal terms in English are entirely contextual, with no modality outside the language

Source

Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 12.7)

Book Reference

Sider,Theodore: 'Writing the Book of the World' [OUP 2011], p.281


A Reaction

Sider has been doing so well up to here. To me this is swallowing the bait of linguistic approaches to philosophy which he has fought so hard to avoid.