The puzzle discussed in this paper, due to Ninan, is a short story that suggests an apparent asymmetry between assertions about the future and assertions about the past. I consider three competing hypotheses about knowledge that might account for the linguistic data highlighted by the story, and I argue that—contrary to Ninan’s diagnosis—the best explanation does not require treating knowledge of the future as significantly different from knowledge of the past.
On Ninan's Puzzle of Easy Foreknowledge
Andrea Iacona
2026-01-01
Abstract
The puzzle discussed in this paper, due to Ninan, is a short story that suggests an apparent asymmetry between assertions about the future and assertions about the past. I consider three competing hypotheses about knowledge that might account for the linguistic data highlighted by the story, and I argue that—contrary to Ninan’s diagnosis—the best explanation does not require treating knowledge of the future as significantly different from knowledge of the past.
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