Trevor Teitel (University of Toronto), "On the Plurality of Counterfactuals"

Colloquium Series

"On the Plurality of Counterfactuals"

Trevor Teitel (University of Toronto)

Friday, April 5, 2024
3:30-5:30 PM
Leacock 927

Abstract: Counterfactuals are context-sensitive. However, in this talk I will argue that various debates and doctrines in metaphysics and the philosophy of science are premised on ignoring the full extent of counterfactual context-sensitivity. My focus will be on the prominent “miracle” versus "no-miracle" debate about counterfactuals under the assumption that our laws of nature are deterministic. I will also discuss doctrines that explain what it is to be a law of nature in terms of certain counterfactuals, as well as doctrines that explain counterfactuals in terms of the probabilities generated from statistical mechanics. I will conclude by drawing a moral of my discussion about the use of counterfactuals in philosophical theorizing more generally. (This talk is based on joint work with Ben Holguín.)