Inconsistency in Linguistic Theorising

András Kertész is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Debrecen (Hungary). He is Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and of Academia Europaea. His fields of research are the philosophy of linguistics and theoretical linguistics. Notable publications include Data and Evidence in Linguistics (Cambridge University Press 2012; with Csilla Rákosi). Csilla Rákosi is Senior Research Fellow at the MTA-DE-SZTE Research Group for Theoretical Linguistics, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Hungary. Her fields of research are the philosophy and methodology of linguistics and argumentation theory. Notable publications include Data and Evidence in Linguistics (Cambridge University Press 2012; with András Kertész).

• 1. Introduction: the Main Problem (P); Part I. The State of the Art: 2. Approaches to inconsistency in the philosophy of science; 3. Approaches to inconsistency in linguistic theorising; Part II. Paraconsistency: 4. The paraconsistent treatment of inconsistency; 5. Prospects and limits of the paraconsistent treatment of inconsistency; Part III. Plausible Argumentation: 6. From paraconsistency to plausible argumentation; 7. Inconsistency and theory change; 8. The treatment of inconsistency in Optimality Theory; 9. The heuristics of inconsistency resolution; Part IV. Summary: 10. The methodological background; 11. Conclusions.

'The authors provide a systematic treatment of the role of inconsistency in linguistic usage. Their discussion is thoroughly grounded in the literature of inconsistency in contemporary linguistics, semantics, logic, rhetoric, and philosophy. Their innovative perspectives and proposed solutions to problems will interest everyone who works in this challenging area.' Nicholas Rescher, Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh