A Partition-Based Semantics for Deontic Modals

Ramiro Caso

doi:10.5007/1808-1711.2025.e97841

Authors

Ramiro Caso Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas / SADAF / CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1421-2739

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/1808-1711.2025.e97841

Keywords:

Contextualism, Relativism, Information Sensitivity, Miner Paradox

Abstract

Kolodny and MacFarlane (“Ifs and oughts,” JPhil 107(3)) and MacFarlane (Assessment sensitivity, Chapter 11) describe the distinctive behavior of deontic modals in deliberation. They highlight two main features that any semantic theory should account for. First, deontic modals are informational in the sense that relativity to a body of information is an essential part of their interpretation. Second, modus ponens should be invalid, and it should fail when such modals are involved. And they argue for an account that posits information-neutral semantic values. In this paper, I provide an account of deontic modals that does not involve any deviation from standard possible world semantic values, yet can capture their distinctive semantic behavior. The key element of the proposal is a partition-based semantics that treats available information as placing a constraint on interpretation.

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