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Philosophy

Selected Works

John N. WILLIAMS

Selected Works

Paradox

Publication Year

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Moore’S Paradox In Belief And Desire, John N. Williams Dec 2013

Moore’S Paradox In Belief And Desire, John N. Williams

John N. WILLIAMS

Is there a Moore’s paradox in desire? I give a normative explanation of the epistemic irrationality, and hence absurdity, of Moorean belief that builds on Green and Williams’ normative account of absurdity. This explains why Moorean beliefs are normally irrational and thus absurd, while some Moorean beliefs are absurd without being irrational. Then I defend constructing a Moorean desire as the syntactic counterpart of a Moorean belief and distinguish it from a ‘Frankfurt’ conjunction of desires. Next I discuss putative examples of rational and irrational desires, suggesting that there are norms of rational desire. Then I examine David Wall’s groundbreaking …


Moore-Paradoxical Assertion, Fully Conscious Belief And The Transparency Of Belief, John N. Williams Aug 2012

Moore-Paradoxical Assertion, Fully Conscious Belief And The Transparency Of Belief, John N. Williams

John N. WILLIAMS

I offer a novel account of the absurdity of Moore-paradoxical assertion in terms of an interlocutor’s fully conscious beliefs. This account starts with an original argument for the principle that fully conscious belief collects over conjunction. The argument is premised on the synchronic unity of consciousness and the transparency of belief.


Moorean Absurdity And The Intentional 'Structure' Of Assertion, John N. Williams Dec 2010

Moorean Absurdity And The Intentional 'Structure' Of Assertion, John N. Williams

John N. WILLIAMS

No abstract provided.


Justifying Circumstances And Moore-Paradoxical Beliefs: A Response To Brueckner, John N. Williams Dec 2010

Justifying Circumstances And Moore-Paradoxical Beliefs: A Response To Brueckner, John N. Williams

John N. WILLIAMS

In 2004, I explained the absurdity of Moore-paradoxical belief via the syllogism (Williams 2004): (1) All circumstances that justify me in believing that p are circumstances that tend to make me believe that p. (2) All circumstances that tend to make me believe that p are circumstances that justify me in believing that I believe that p. (3) All circumstances that justify me in believing that p are circumstances that justify me in believing that I believe that p.


Moore's Paradox: One Or Two?, John N. Williams Dec 2010

Moore's Paradox: One Or Two?, John N. Williams

John N. WILLIAMS

Discussions of what is sometimes called 'Moore's paradox' are often vitiated by a failure to notice that there are two paradoxes; not merely one in two sets of linguistic clothing. The two paradoxes are absurd, but in different ways, and accordingly require different explanations.