Backtracking Counterfactuals Revisited. Issue 503 (20th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khoo, Justin
• Is Part Of: Mind. Volume 126:Issue 503(2017)
• Page Start: 841
• Page End: 910
• Publication Date: 2016-10-20
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Philosophy; Periodicals; 190.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mind/fzw005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-4423

Abstract

Abstract: I discuss three observations about backtracking counterfactuals not predicted by existing theories, and then motivate a theory of counterfactuals that does predict them. On my theory, counterfactuals quantify over a suitably restricted set of historical possibilities from some contextually relevant past time. I motivate each feature of the theory relevant to predicting our three observations about backtracking counterfactuals. The paper concludes with replies to three potential objections.