A Context-Based Analysis of Counterfactual Conditionals and Causation
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Authors
Chen, Tianze
Date
2025-08-20
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Counterfactual Conditional , Causation , Philosophy of Language , Linguistics
Alternative Title
Abstract
In this thesis, I explore the relationship between Counterfactual Conditionals (CFC) and the metaphysical relation of causation. I first explore the overviews of conditional statements from a pedagogical view, followed by introducing the philosophical background of the semantics of conditional statements. I then explore the two definitions of causation by Hume, the second of which is later developed by David Lewis, who proposed the distinction between Causal Dependence (CD) and Causation.
I find that although a fixed semantics of CFC is useful for analyzing the connection between CFC and causation, it is insufficient to fully account for the flexibility and context-sensitivity of CFCs in natural language use. I then propose a context-based analysis of CFCs, including the notion Reduced Causal Chain (RCC), to account for the complex relationship between CFC and causation in a dynamic context.
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
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Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.