The Tenseless Copula in Temporal Predication

Summary, in English

In this paper I explore how the tenseless copula is to be interpreted in sentences of the form “a is F at t”, where “a” denotes a persisting, changeable object, “F” stands for a prima facie intrinsic property and “t” for a B-time. I argue that the interpretation of the copula depends on the logical role assigned to the time clause. Having rejected the idea that the time clause is to be treated as a sentence operator, I argue: (1) that if “at t” is thought of as being associated with “a” or “F”, then the tenseless copula is most plausibly read as an “is” simpliciter; and (2) that if “at t” is treated as being associated with the copula, then the tenseless copula is most plausibly understood as expressing a disjunction of tensed copulas. I end the paper by explaining the importance of the issue. I indicate the ramifications interpretation of the tenseless copula has for the so-called problem of temporary intrinsics.

• Författare: Tobias Hansson Wahlberg
• Avdelning/ar: Teoretisk filosofi
• Publiceringsår: 2010
• Språk: Engelska
• Sidor: 267-280
• Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie: Erkenntnis
• Volym: 72
• Issue: 2
• Fulltext: - 238 kB; Download statistics
• Länkar: http://www.springerlink.com/content/f2831016r2k70vv6/?p=dc3b581bff624511a556ebb94e08dab9&pi=5; http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10670-009-9197-3
• Dokumenttyp: Artikel i tidskrift
• Förlag: Springer
• Ämne: Philosophy
• Nyckelord: Temporal Predication; Time; adverbialism; the problem of temporary intrinsics; endurance; tenseless verbs
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt: ISSN: 1572-8420