Ideas from 'Presupposition and Conversational Implicature' by H. Paul Grice [1977], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Studies in the Ways of Words' by Grice,Paul [Harvard 1991,0-674-85271-0]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     unexpand these ideas

---

10. Modality / B. Possibility / 8. Conditionals / f. Pragmatics of conditionals

10990

Conditionals are truth-functional, but unassertable in tricky cases?

			Full Idea: The 'conversational defence' of the truth-functional view of conditionals is that a conditional may not be assertible in difficult cases.
			From: report of H. Paul Grice (Presupposition and Conversational Implicature [1977]) by Stephen Read - Thinking About Logic Ch.3

19. Language / F. Communication / 5. Pragmatics / b. Implicature

10991

Key conversational maxims are 'quality' (assert truth) and 'quantity' (leave nothing out)

			Full Idea: Grice particularly identified two maxims as guiding conversation: the maxim of 'quality' (that one should assert only what one believes to be true and justified), and of 'quantity' (one should not assert less than one can).
			From: report of H. Paul Grice (Presupposition and Conversational Implicature [1977]) by Stephen Read - Thinking About Logic Ch.3
			A reaction: I think it would be very foolish to boldly embrace the second maxim when talking to strangers. If white lies are occasionally acceptable, then what is the status of the first 'maxim'? Is it a moral maxim?