The Strength of Assertion

ABSTRACT This essay attempts to cast light on the recent debate over whether the norm of assertion is “weak” or “strong.” I proceed somewhat indirectly, first arguing for a distinction between two classes of utterances of declarative sentences, classes that can be empirically distinguished along a number of dimensions. For example, these two kinds of utterances differ from each other in what they add to the common ground, how they are elicited, and what sorts of attitude reports they license. I suggest that whether this should be understood as showing that “the norm of assertion” is weak or strong or context‐sensitive appears to be largely a terminological question about which utterances of declaratives ought to be called “assertions.” But however the terminological issue is resolved, there remain interesting questions concerning what role each type of utterance plays in our epistemic and communicative practices, and I close with some remarks bearing on this issue.