Modal

Gene

Linguistics

Philosophy

Vocabulary

Polymer chemistry

Biochemistry

Computer science

Semantics (computer science)

Mathematics

Epistemology

Transcription factor

Modal operator

Repressor

Chemistry

Programming language

Operator (biology)

Meaning (existential)

Speech act

Assertion

Modal logic

The Philosophical Quarterly

We present an inferentialist account of the epistemic modal operator might. Our starting point is the bilateralist programme. A bilateralist explains the operator not in terms of the speech act of rejection; we explain the operator might in terms of weak assertion, a speech act whose existence we argue for on the basis of linguistic evidence. We show that our account of might provides a solution to certain well-known puzzles about the semantics of modal vocabulary whilst retaining classical logic. This demonstrates that an inferentialist approach to meaning can be successfully extended beyond the core logical constants.

Weak Assertion