Studies in Parametric Context-Sensitivity

Parametric context-sensitivity is a recognized but under-theorized form of context-sensitivity—under-theorized especially as compared to the sort of indexicality Kaplan [1977/1989] brought into focus. I single it out for attention here, using three case studies as stalking horses. Starting with modals, I bring out how parametric context-sensitivity problematizes prevailing definitions of context-sensitivity, and offer improved definitions. Turning next to variables (pronouns, and things like them), I bring out the way in which parametric context-sensitivity problematizes the idea that content is compositional, coming at Rabern [2013]’s insights from another direction. We will also see that clarity about the possibilities for parametrically contextualist analyses of pronouns helps in distinguishing several kinds of monstrous operations, and helps bring into focus what is at issue in the question whether (as Santorio [2019] has recently argued) the role of context in semantics is entirely post-semantic. As a third case study, I consider some Stalnaker-inspired parametrically contextualist analyses of indicative conditionals. Stalnaker’s theory renders the truth of indicative conditionals as sensitive to states of information. Does this mean that on his theory, indicative conditionals are ‘subjective’, i.e., descriptions of states of mind? That might depend, I explain, on a matter outside the compositional semantics, about whether and how one goes parametrically contextualist. I close with some discussion of what is at issue in deciding whether a given case of context-sensitivity is indexical or parametric. The big picture aim is to show that getting straight about parametric context-sensitivity pays dividends for a range of important semantic and post-semantic issues. ∗Draft. Thanks to Dilip Ninan, John MacFarlane, and Brian Rabern for helpful discussion.