On the Modality and Quantification in Generic Sentences

类属句与人类的泛化能力密切相关。在描述类属句时有两种主要的框架。一种是卡尔森基于类述谓概念的非定量分析。另一种是定量分析，其标准版本假定非选择算子是理论的基本部分。当然，有些类属句本质上是非定量的，非定量分析是必要的，但类属句的多样性不能归入非定量分析的范畴。如果对量化方法进行适当的修改，它将是一个富有成效的框架。具体地说，它必须包含几个选择性的操作符。归纳和演绎是概括的两种不同方式，一般用类属句来描述。

Generic sentences are closely connected with the human capacity of generalization. There are two major frameworks in describing generic sentences. One is Carlson's non-quantificational analysis based on the notion of kind predication. The other is the quantificational analysis, the standard version of which assumes unselective operators as essential part of the theory. Certainly, some of the generic sentences are non-quantificational in nature, and the non-quantificational analysis is necessary anyway, but the variety of generic sentences cannot be subsumed under the non-quantificational analysis. The quantificational approach will be a fruitful framework if it is modified appropriately. Specifically, it must incorporate several selective operators. Different ways of generalization, which are described by generic sentences, include induction and deduction, and need a dual approach.