Abstract
An argument for Trivialism, the view that natural languages are logically inconsistent, is provided that does not rely on contentious empirical assumptions about natural language terms such as “and” or “or.” Further, the view is defended against an important objection recently mounted against it by Thomas Hofweber.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armour-Garb B. (2007) Consistent inconsistency theories. Inquiry 50(6): 639–654
Azzouni J. (2003) The strengthened liar, the expressive strength of natural languages, and regimentation. The Philosophical Forum 334(3–4): 329–350
Azzouni J. (2006) Tracking reason: Proof, consequence, and truth. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Azzouni J. (2007) The inconsistency of natural languages: How we live with it. Inquiry 50(6): 590–605
Azzouni J. (2008) Alternative logics and the role of truth in the interpretation of languages. In: Patterson D. (ed.) New essays on Tarski and philosophy. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 390–429
Azzouni J. (2009) Evading truth commitments: The problem reanalyzed. Logique and Analyse 205: 139–176
Bueno O. (2007) Troubles with trivialism. Inquiry 50(6): 655–667
Curry H. (1942) The inconsistency of certain formal logics. Journal of Symbolic Logic 7: 115–117
Harris J. H. (1982) What’s so logical about the ‘logical’ axioms?. Studia Logica 41: 159–171
Hofweber, T. (2010). Inferential role and the ideal of deductive logic. In J. Šķilters (Ed.) The baltic international yearbook of cognition, logic and communication, Vol 5: Meaning understanding and knowledge. doi:10.4148/biyclec.v5i0.283.
Meyer R., Routley R., Dunn J. M. (1979) Curry’s paradox. Analysis 39: 124–128
Patterson D. (2007) Guest editor’s introduction. Inquiry 50(6): 552–558
Priest G. (1987) In contradiction. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
Reed S. (2001) Self reference and validity revisited. In: Yrönsuuri M. (ed.) Medieval formal logic: Obligations insolubles and consequences. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 183–196
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Azzouni, J. Inconsistency in natural languages. Synthese 190, 3175–3184 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-012-0136-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-012-0136-5