Quantum probabilities and the conjunction principle

Igor Douven, Jos Uffink

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

A recent argument by Hawthorne and Lasonen-Aarnio purports to show that we can uphold the principle that competently forming conjunctions is a knowledge-preserving operation only at the cost of a rampant skepticism about the future. A key premise of their argument is that, in light of quantum-mechanical considerations, future contingents never quite have chance 1 of being true. We argue, by drawing attention to the order of magnitude of the relevant quantum probabilities, that the skeptical threat of Hawthorne and Lasonen-Aarnio's argument is illusory.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)109-114
Number of pages6
JournalSynthese
Volume184
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2012
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Conjunction principle
  • Quantum probabilities
  • Skepticism

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