<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Adam Elga has presented an anti-thermodynamic process as a counterexample to Lewis’s default semantics for counterfactuals. The outstanding reaction of Jonathan Schaffer and Boris Kment is revisionary. It sacrifices Lewis’s aim of defining causation in terms of counterfactual dependence. Lewis himself suggested an alternative: «counter-entropic funnybusiness» should make for dissimilarity. But how is this alternative to be spelled out? I discuss a recent proposal: include special science laws, among them the laws of thermodynamics. Although the proposal fails, it serves to uncover the limits of Elga’s example.</p></abstract>

Adam Elga has presented an anti-thermodynamic process as a counterexample to Lewis’s default semantics for counterfactuals. The outstanding reaction of Jonathan Schaffer and Boris Kment is revisionary. It sacrifices Lewis’s aim of defining causation in terms of counterfactual dependence. Lewis himself suggested an alternative: «counter-entropic funnybusiness» should make for dissimilarity. But how is this alternative to be spelled out? I discuss a recent proposal: include special science laws, among them the laws of thermodynamics. Although the proposal fails, it serves to uncover the limits of Elga’s example.

Should Special Science Laws Be Written into the Semantics of Counterfactuals?

Kairos. Journal of Philosophy & Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Should Special Science Laws Be Written into the Semantics of Counterfactuals?"}

Adam Elga has presented an anti-thermodynamic process as a counterexample to Lewis’s default semantics for counterfactuals. The outstanding reaction of...

Should Special Science Laws Be Written into the Semantics of Counterfactuals?

Published Online: Mar 03, 2020

Page range: 86 - 108

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/kjps-2019-0010

Keywords
Counterfactuals, Lewis, Similarity, Special Science Laws, Elga

© 2019 Daniel Dohrn, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Should Special Science Laws Be Written into the Semantics of Counterfactuals?

Published Online: Mar 03, 2020

Page range: 86 - 108

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/kjps-2019-0010

KeywordsCounterfactuals, Lewis, Similarity, Special Science Laws, Elga

© 2019 Daniel Dohrn, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Counterfactuals, Lewis, Similarity, Special Science Laws, Elga