2. Conjunctions

2.1. And: adding content

2.1.0. Overview

In this chapter, we will study the logical properties of the English word and and certain related expressions. Along the way, we will encounter some general ways of approaching the study of logical properties that will serve us in later chapters, too.

For the next several chapters, the logical forms we consider will reflect ways that sentences are formed from other sentences; the operators which form such sentences are known as connectives.

2.1.1. A connective
We begin with conjunction, a connective that enables us to combine the content of a pair of sentences.

2.1.2. A truth function
The meaning of conjunction can be given by specifying the truth value of a conjunction in terms of the truth values of the sentences that were combined.

2.1.3. Conjunction in English
Although conjunction is most closely associated with the word and, there is a variety of ways of expressing it in English.

2.1.4. Limits on analysis
On the other hand, even the appearance of and is not a sure sign that a sentence may be analyzed as a conjunction.

2.1.5. Multiple conjunction
The operation of forming a sentence from sentences can be repeated. We will look at this sort of iteration in the case of conjunction.

2.1.6. Some sample analyses
We will then apply these ideas to analyze several examples.

2.1.7. Logical forms
And we will look in more general terms at the relation of logical forms to actual sentences.

2.1.8. Interpretations
Finally, we will introduce some ways of talking about the relation between abstract logical forms and the meanings of sentences.