A Condition on Plausible Inducements

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Abstract
Searle's analysis of categorial promises is extended to the case of conditional promises and threats (inducements), and a condition on the pragmatic plausibility of inducements is spelled out in terms of the relation between the value/cost of the act being requested or forbidden and the value/cost of the incentive being offered. Some data comprised of judgments as to the ordinariness/strangeness of a number of different sorts of inducement statements are presented to show that subjects are sensitive to the felicity condition suggested.

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