You are invited to Bilkent University\u2019s Philosophy Department on Thursday for the seminar of Profs. David Nicolas and Jonathan D. Payton.<\/p>\n
Speakers: David Nicolas, Institut Jean Nicod; Jonathan D. Payton, Bilkent University
\n\u201cCollective nouns and the distribution problem\u201d<\/p>\n
Date: Thursday, 4 May 2023
\nTime: 3:30
\nRoom: H-232<\/p>\n
Abstract: Intuitively, collective nouns are pseudo-singular: a collection of things (a pair of people, a flock of birds, etc.) just is the things that make \u2018it\u2019 up. But certain facts about natural language seem to count against this view. In short, distributive predicates and numerals interact with collective nouns in ways that they seemingly shouldn\u2019t if those nouns are pseudo-singular. We call this set of issues \u2018the distribution problem\u2019. To solve it, we propose a modification to cover-based semantics. On this semantics, the interpretation of distributive predicates and numerals depends on a cover, where the choice of cover is strongly semantically constrained by the noun with which they interact.<\/p>\n
About the speakers: David Nicolas is a CNRS Researcher at Institut Jean Nicod in Paris, France. His research focuses on issues in semantics, philosophical logic, and ontology. Most notably, he has worked on the interpretation of mass and count nouns, plural logic and superplurals, telicity, and gradeable expressions. His work has appeared in such journals as Analysis, the Australasian Journal of Philosophy, the Journal of Philosophical Logic, and Linguistics and Philosophy. In 2002 his book, \u201cLa distinction entre noms massifs et noms comptables: Aspects linguistiques et conceptuels\u201d was published by Leuven.<\/p>\n
Jonathan D. Payton is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Bilkent University. His research focuses on issues in metaphysics, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of action. Most recently, he has worked on the metaphysics of parts and wholes and related issues about the meaning and logic of plurals. His work has appeared in such journals as Analysis, the Australasian Journal of Philosophy, Philosophical Studies, and Synthese. In 2021 his book, \u201cNegative actions: Events, absences, and the metaphysics of agency\u201d was published by Cambridge University Press.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You are invited to Bilkent University\u2019s Philosophy Department on Thursday for the seminar of Profs. David Nicolas and Jonathan D. Payton. Speakers: David Nicolas, Institut Jean Nicod; Jonathan D. Payton, Bilkent University \u201cCollective nouns and the distribution problem\u201d Date: Thursday, 4 May 2023 Time: 3:30 Room: H-232 Abstract: Intuitively, collective [\u2026] <\/p>\n