Purple leaf

Philosophy Speaker Series

Print | PDF
Every year, Laurier’s Department of Philosophy hosts a speaker series that explores different questions, theories and topics. Each session is hosted by a Laurier faculty member or guest speaker. All sessions are open to the public. Students, staff and community members are all welcome. 
  • Time: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Location: P327

Please join us at 3 p.m. for refreshments before the talk at 3:30 p.m.

2018/19 Speaker Series

March 1, 2019: Phil Bériault, University of Waterloo (PhD candidate)

"Possible Worlds, Artificiality, and Collective Authorship"

Abstract:

Andrea Sauchelli, in "Modal Fictionalism, Possible Worlds, and Artificiality," argues that if a fiction is what serves as the foundation for the truth conditions for modal claims, then there are serious issues regarding the accessibility of those truth conditions for the average modal reasoner (2013). My paper responds to Sauchelli's concerns by proposing a rearticulation of modal fictionalism such that the fiction that provides modal truth conditions is one that is collectively authored, and that has been under continued development for as long as there has been those engaged in modal reasoning. This rearticulation, I argue, not only addresses Sauchelli's concerns regarding the accessibility of modal truth conditions, but also serves to help better understand modal reasoning that makes use of subjunctive and counterfactual conditionals.

Upcoming Speakers