Russell on Descriptions
|
|
- Britney Elliott
- 6 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Russell on Descriptions Bertrand Russell s analysis of descriptions is certainly one of the most famous (perhaps the most famous) theories in philosophy not just philosophy of language over the last century. For obvious reasons, our primary purpose will be to examine the theory as a work in philosophy of language, but it is worth noting that Russell s motivations were not merely linguistic: he was motivated by both metaphysical and epistemological considerations as well. The following sentence was problematic for our naive theory of language: (1) The present king of France is bald. The problem was that there is no present king of France. Therefore, we cannot provide the present king of France with a referent and we must find some other way to account for its meaning. Alexius Meinong, a contemporary of Russell s, recognized this problem and (in)famously decided to adjust his metaphysics to solve it. Meinong accepted such entities as the present king of France, the round square, and whatever else you may form a corresponding description of. Russell finds this metaphysical picture unacceptable; he is unwilling to recognize the existence of such things and he was in search of a theory which had the metaphysical benefits of avoiding such commitments. This was one of his primary motivations for the theory of descriptions. As he puts it: Logic, I should maintain, must no more admit a unicorn than zoology can (324). (Russell also had epistemological motivations for the theory, but they are more complicated and would take us too far afield. Hylton(2004) gives a nice overview of Russell s motivations, if you are really interested.) It is good to keep Russell s motivations in mind in order to remember that what we do in philosophy of language isn t an isolated enterprise. That said, from now on we ll largely set implications aside and focus on Russell s theory as a piece of linguistic theory. Even so, focusing so much energy on descriptions may seem a little strange. To a certain extent you ll have to trust me on this one, but here are two quick remarks. First, as will become clear, studying descriptions will bring to light an extraordinary number of foundational issues in philosophy of language. Second, the immense historical importance of Russell s theory, as well as the fertile discussion of it by the best philosophers of the century, makes it essential to any study of philosophy of language. Types of Descriptions Russell distinguishes two types of descriptions: definite and indefinite. Definite descriptions begin with the definite article the and indefinite descriptions, or at least the ones Russell focuses on, begin with the indefinite article a. (2)- (4) are examples of definite descriptions and (5)-(7) are examples of indefinite descriptions. (2) The table 1
2 (3) The best table I have over owned (4) The best table ever owned by Ghostface Killah in the days before the Wu-Tang clan hit the big-time (5) A car (6) A blue car parked in my spot (7) A super-expensive car bought by Ghostface Killah We ll work with relatively simple descriptions since they will suffice to generate the relevant issues. However, it is good to keep in mind the fact that natural language descriptions can get quite complicated, as shown by (4) and (7). Any finished theory of descriptions will have to be shown to be capable of handling the relevant type of complexities found in natural language. 1 Plausibly, there are a number of natural language descriptions that aren t covered in Russell s taxonomy. Possessives like (8) and (9) are intuitively classified as descriptions. Again, any finished theory of descriptions will have to deal with these. We ll set them aside, though. (8) Ghostface s car (9) My father s father s mother Important note: Indefiniteness vs. Ambiguity Russell repeatedly calls indefinite descriptions ambiguous. At least when it comes to our contemporary usage of ambiguous, this is a mistake. (It may be that there was another sense of ambiguous in Russell s day, I m not sure.) The word bank is ambiguous. In (10) it denotes a type of financial institution and in (11) it denotes a river bank. (10) I withdrew $100 from the bank. (11) I followed my friends to the bank but I didn t jump in the river. For a term to be ambiguous, there must be multiple distinct meanings associated with that term. This is exactly what is going on with bank but it is not what is going on with indefinite descriptions like a man. A man has a single meaning, it is indefinite in the sense that it doesn t pick out a single man, but it is not ambiguous. What is Reference? Russell s main claim will be that neither indefinite nor definite descriptions refer. He will give an alternative account of them as what he calls denoting phrases. 1 Neale (1990) contains what is, as far as I know, the most thorough attempt to generalize Russell s theory. 2
3 Before we can understand Russell s theory, we ll have to say a little bit more about the nature of reference. Reference is a relation between words and the world. As we ve already mentioned, it is standardly assumed that proper names refer to individuals. Thus, the proper name David Liebesman refers to me. Another way of saying this is that the reference relation obtains between me and David Liebesman. Perhaps a more intuitive gloss is given by stands for. The name David Liebesman stands for me. All of this is pretty skeletal. On of the best ways to understand what philosophers have in mind is through examples. Pronouns like he and demonstratives (words that usually require an accompanying demonstration) like that are also commonly thought the be referential. He in (12) and that in (13) are referring expressions. The former stands for Bertrand, and the latter stands for a table. (12) Bertrand is thinking about philosophy; he never stops! (13) That is Ghostface s old table. Compare terms like David, he, and that with non-referring expressions that don t stand for particular individuals. Most men in (14) and Nobody in (15) don t refer. (14) Most men are pigs. (15) Nobody is listening to me. Why doesn t most men in (14) refer? Well, most men doesn t stand for anything. To see this, begin by imagining that it does. The following question then arises: which men does it stand for? There is no single group of men that counts as most men, there are lots of equally plausible groups, and there is no reason to pick one over another. This argument is quick (maybe too quick!) but we ll get back to extremely similar reasoning in a minute. Why doesn t nobody in (15) refer? Well, there is nobody that is nobody! Everybody is somebody. There seems to be nobody for nobody refer to. The same goes for phrases like no table and no dog. Recall that Meinong would disagree here. He would claim that nobody refers to a very odd type of thing. Let s stick with Russell and assume that this is a non-starter. For now that s probably the best we can do by way of distinguishing between referring and non-referring expressions. Notice that we don t have an analysis of the distinction. An analysis is what we would have at the end of the day if we did our job well; it is not what we start with. Rather, we start with an intuitive distinction and try to analyze it. Do Descriptions Refer? Russell s answer is no. To see where he is coming from, let s see how tempting it is to claim that definite descriptions do refer. Compare (16) with (17): (16) Barack Obama is in the middle east today. 3
4 (17) The President of the US is in the middle east today. (16) and (17) look extremely similar. They both appear to be subject/predicate sentences such that the subject picks out an individual Barack Obama and the predicate characterizes that individual. The similarity of the sentences is brought out by fact that we can often swap one for the other without batting an eyelash. Imagine a newscaster choosing between them, it seems that his only relevant considerations would be stylistic. They seem to convey the exact same information and, furthermore, they seem to have the same superficial structure. Russell s contention now seems a bit exciting. He thinks that the surface similarities between (16) and (17) are misleading. Deep down, according to Russell, the sentences have extremely different meanings. This is surprising. The difference, Russell contends, is that (16) contains a referential term in subject position, while (17) does not. (17) according to Russell contains The president of the US as a subject term and this description does not refer to (stand for/pick out) an individual. So why does Russell think this? To ease into Russell s theory begin by considering indefinite descriptions, e.g. a man. Russell gives three arguments that indefinite descriptions aren t referring expressions. Argument 1: The argument from contradiction It is clear what what I assert is not I met Jones. I may say I met a man, but it was not Jones ; in that case, though I lie, I do not contradict myself, as I should do if when I say I met a man I really mean that I met Jones. (323) The idea is that a man cannot refer to Jones because then to assert I met a man would be equivalent to asserting I met Jones. However, this equivalence does not hold because I met a man but not Jones is not an outright contradiction even if it is false while I met Jones but not Jones is. Argument 2: The argument from falsity. But we may go further: not only Jones, but no actual man, enters into my statement. This becomes obvious when the statement is false, since then there is no more reason why Jones should be supposed to enter into the proposition than why anyone else should. ( ) Russell s thought here is that a man can t refer to any particular man because when I met a man is false, there is no reasonable candidate for a man to refer to. Let s unpack this. Assume that I met a man is false. In that case I met Jones is also false. After all, Jones is a man. Can we then assume that a man refers to Jones. We can t, and here s why: when I met a man is false there is no man that I met. I met Jones on the other hand, is compatible with my meeting lots of other men. Therefore, a man in I met a man cannot refer to Jones. This reasoning, of course, has nothing to do with Jones in 4
5 particular. There is no man that a man can plausibly be said to refer to, for precisely analogous reasons. Argument 3: The argument from reference failure. Indeed, the statement would remain significant, though it could not possibly be true, even if there were no man at all. (324) This should seem a little familiar: it is similar to the worries concerning on referring terms that we ve repeatedly discussed. The idea here is that a man cannot be a referring term because it remains meaningful even in the absence of any possible referent. Argument 4: The too many men argument. Socrates is a man, Plato is a man, Aristotle is a man, but we cannot infer that a man means the same as Socrates means and also the same as Plato means and also the same as Aristotle means, since these three names have different meanings. Nevertheless, when we have enumerated all the men in the world, there is nothing left of which we can say, This is a man, and not only so, but it is the a man, the quintessential entity that is just an indefinite man without being anybody in particular. It is of course quite clear that whatever there is in the world is definite: if it is a man it is one definite. (327) Assume that a man refers. Then it seems as if it must refer to Plato because it is true that Plato is a man. By the same reasoning, it seems as if it must refer to Socrates, and mutatis mutandis for every man! However, since all of these men are distinct, it cannot refer to them all. If, then, it refers, it must refer to some indefinite man that is distinct from all of the definite men. This, however, offends Russell s metaphysical sensibilities. Those are the arguments that indefinite descriptions don t refer. Russell gives an independent argument that definite descriptions don t refer. Argument 5: Substitution Failure A proposition containing a description is not identical with what that proposition becomes when a name is substituted, even if the name names the same object as the description describes. Scott is the author of Waverly is obviously a different proposition from Scott is Scott : the first is a fact in literary history, the second a trivial truism. Assume that Scott and the author of Waverly mean the same thing. It then follows that Scott is the author of Waverly and Scott is Scott will be identical in meaning. However, the latter is trivial while the former is not. 5
6 Therefore, they do not mean the same thing. Therefore, it follows, that they do not co-refer. Since the author of Waverly refers to Scott if it refers at all, it follows that the description does not refer. In Descriptions this is the only argument that Russell gives against the claim that definite descriptions refer. However, when he goes on to construct his theory, he elicits a number of virtues. Insofar as these virtues of his theory are not shared by a referential theory, these also speak in favor of Russell s analysis. We ll get back to the virtues. Russell s Analysis For the most part, I am going to follow Lycan s presentation, rather than Russell s own because Lycan s is much easier to follow. Start, again, with indefinite descriptions. (18) is an English sentence containing an indefinite description, (19) is an English gloss of Russell s analysis, and (20) is the analysis of (18) in Russell s favored notation. (Now may be a good time for a logic refresher!) (18) A dog is in the room. (19) There exists a dog that is in the room. (20) x(dog(x) & in the room(x)) As you can, see on Russell s analysis, a dog is not a referential expression, rather is it a quantificational expression. The analysis of definite descriptions is a little more complicated. (21) The author of Waverly was Scotch (22) At least one person authored Waverly and at most one person authored Waverly and whoever authored Waverly was Scotch. (23) x(authored Waverly(x) & Scotch(x) & y(authored Waverly(y) y=x)) From now on we ll focus exclusively on Russell s analysis of definite descriptions, as it is the more important, influential, and controversial analysis. Virtues of the Analysis Apparent Reference to Nonexistents The problem with (1) was that there was nothing for the present king of France to refer to. Therefore, it was mysterious how the sentence could be meaningful and, in fact, false. (1) The present king of France is bald. 6
7 Now consider Russell s analysis of (1), which requires three things in order to be true: (a) That there is a present king of france (b) that there is only one present king of France, and (c) whoever is the present king of France is bald. Since there doesn t exist a present king of france, (a) is false. Therefore, (1) is false. Since none of (a)-(c) requires the existence of a particular person in order to be meaningful, Russell has shown us how (1) can be meaningful even though the present king of France does not refer. Negative Existentials True negative existentials are really just a special case of apparent reference to non-existents. They do, however, bring the problem into sharp relief. Consider (24): (24) The present king of France doesn t exist. If descriptions are referential then it seems that we must refer to the present king of France in order to ascribe him non-existence. However, if we refer to something then it exists. Therefore, on the referential theory of descriptions, (24) must either be false or non-sensical. However, it is true. This is a problem for the referential view of non-existents. Russell s theory of descriptions nicely avoids the problem. On this theory, (24) is analyzed as (25) (25) x(present king of france (x) & exist (x) & y(present king of france(y) y=x)) Substitution Failure Recall Russell s argument that definite descriptions aren t referring expressions. It was that sentences like (26) and (27) differ insofar the former is trivial while the latter isn t. (26) Barack Obama is Barack Obama (27) Barack Obama is the president of the US. On the theory of descriptions we can explain the differences between (26) and (27). (26) is just as it appears: a trivial identity statement. (27), on the other hand, is tantamount to claiming that: (1) there is a president of the US (2) there is only one president of the US, and (3) Any president of the US is Barack Obama. The conjunction of these three claims is far from trivial. Names and Descriptions As Lycan notes, and as you probably noticed by now, many of the problems that arose for a referential theory of definite descriptions also arise for a referential theory of proper names. I ll briefly mention two. First, just as there are definite descriptions that appear not to refer, e.g. the present king of France, there are proper names that appear not to refer, Vulcan and Sherlock Holmes. If the meaning of a proper name is its referent, then it seems that these names are meaningless. However, this can t be 7
8 correct because they occur in meaningful sentences. Therefore, it seems that the meaning of a proper name cannot be its referent. Second, just as an identity involving a proper name and a definite description may be non trivial, e.g. (27), an identity involving two proper names may be non-trivial: (28) Dennis Coles is Ghostface Killah Again, if the meaning of a proper name is its referent then it seems as if (28) must be trivial. However, (28) may be highly informative. Therefore, the meaning of a proper name must go beyond its referent. Russell is aware of these problems and his solution is somewhat radical. He thinks that these sentences don t really contain proper names. Rather, they contain definite descriptions disguised as proper names. We will have quite a bit more to say about this when we get to Kripke, but keep it in the back of your mind for now. Potential Shortcomings of Russell s Theory Notice that when discussing definite descriptions, we have followed Russell in focusing exclusively on singular definite descriptions that closely resemble referential expressions. Even if Russell s analysis works for these, it is not obvious that his analysis will work for all definite descriptions. Consider the following: (29) The pandas have escaped. (30) The water is yellow. (31) The dog is a great pet. Russell s analysis will have to be adapted to fit these examples. After all, there certainly isn t a single unique panda when the pandas have escaped. Similarly, whenever we have some water it seems as if can hardly be unique, just divide it in half and you have some other water. Finally, the dog in (31) doesn t appear to pick out a single dog at all! After all, (31) doesn t state that a single dog, e.g. Fido, is a great pet. Rather, it states that dogs, in general, make great pets. Surface Structure and Logical Form We are going to spend quite a bit of additional time evaluating Russell s theory. However, whether or not Russell s theory is correct, it is a landmark piece of analytic philosophy. On of the main reasons for this is that Russell clearly distinguished between a sentence s surface structure and its logical form and hypothesized that the two may come apart. Surface structure (what Russell calls grammatical form ) is just what it sounds like: the way a sentence appears on the surface. Logical form, on the other hand, reveals a sentences deeper properties. It is called logical form because it is supposed to show all of the logically relevant properties, e.g. entailments. Once we distinguish between surface structure and logical form it is an 8
9 open possibility that logical forms may diverge greatly from surface structure. It then becomes our job to look past surface structure and grasp logical form if we really want to understand the meaning of a sentence. These notions of surface structure and logical form surely need additional explication. The basic idea though, that sentence meanings may have hidden complexity, is clear enough. This idea has had an enormous impact on philosophy of language, and it is certainly one you will notice throughout our readings. 9
But we may go further: not only Jones, but no actual man, enters into my statement. This becomes obvious when the statement is false, since then
CHAPTER XVI DESCRIPTIONS We dealt in the preceding chapter with the words all and some; in this chapter we shall consider the word the in the singular, and in the next chapter we shall consider the word
More informationRussell: On Denoting
Russell: On Denoting DENOTING PHRASES Russell includes all kinds of quantified subject phrases ( a man, every man, some man etc.) but his main interest is in definite descriptions: the present King of
More information15. Russell on definite descriptions
15. Russell on definite descriptions Martín Abreu Zavaleta July 30, 2015 Russell was another top logician and philosopher of his time. Like Frege, Russell got interested in denotational expressions as
More informationPhilosophical Logic. LECTURE SEVEN MICHAELMAS 2017 Dr Maarten Steenhagen
Philosophical Logic LECTURE SEVEN MICHAELMAS 2017 Dr Maarten Steenhagen ms2416@cam.ac.uk Last week Lecture 1: Necessity, Analyticity, and the A Priori Lecture 2: Reference, Description, and Rigid Designation
More informationPHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS & THE ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE
PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS & THE ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE Now, it is a defect of [natural] languages that expressions are possible within them, which, in their grammatical form, seemingly determined to designate
More information(1) a phrase may be denoting, and yet not denote anything e.g. the present King of France
Main Goals: Phil/Ling 375: Meaning and Mind [Handout #14] Bertrand Russell: On Denoting/Descriptions Professor JeeLoo Liu 1. To show that both Frege s and Meinong s theories are inadequate. 2. To defend
More informationPhil 435: Philosophy of Language. P. F. Strawson: On Referring
Phil 435: Philosophy of Language [Handout 10] Professor JeeLoo Liu P. F. Strawson: On Referring Strawson s Main Goal: To show that Russell's theory of definite descriptions ("the so-and-so") has some fundamental
More informationDefinite Descriptions: From Symbolic Logic to Metaphysics. The previous president of the United States is left handed.
Definite Descriptions: From Symbolic Logic to Metaphysics Recall that we have been translating definite descriptions the same way we would translate names, i.e., with constants (lower case letters towards
More informationComments on Truth at A World for Modal Propositions
Comments on Truth at A World for Modal Propositions Christopher Menzel Texas A&M University March 16, 2008 Since Arthur Prior first made us aware of the issue, a lot of philosophical thought has gone into
More informationClass #9 - The Attributive/Referential Distinction
Philosophy 308: The Language Revolution Fall 2015 Hamilton College Russell Marcus I. Two Uses of Definite Descriptions Class #9 - The Attributive/Referential Distinction Reference is a central topic in
More informationClass #7 - Russell s Description Theory
Philosophy 308: The Language Revolution Fall 2014 Hamilton College Russell Marcus Class #7 - Russell s Description Theory I. Russell and Frege Bertrand Russell s Descriptions is a chapter from his Introduction
More informationTWO VERSIONS OF HUME S LAW
DISCUSSION NOTE BY CAMPBELL BROWN JOURNAL OF ETHICS & SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY DISCUSSION NOTE MAY 2015 URL: WWW.JESP.ORG COPYRIGHT CAMPBELL BROWN 2015 Two Versions of Hume s Law MORAL CONCLUSIONS CANNOT VALIDLY
More informationTruth At a World for Modal Propositions
Truth At a World for Modal Propositions 1 Introduction Existentialism is a thesis that concerns the ontological status of individual essences and singular propositions. Let us define an individual essence
More informationComments on Carl Ginet s
3 Comments on Carl Ginet s Self-Evidence Juan Comesaña* There is much in Ginet s paper to admire. In particular, it is the clearest exposition that I know of a view of the a priori based on the idea that
More informationRussell on Denoting. G. J. Mattey. Fall, 2005 / Philosophy 156. The concept any finite number is not odd, nor is it even.
Russell on Denoting G. J. Mattey Fall, 2005 / Philosophy 156 Denoting in The Principles of Mathematics This notion [denoting] lies at the bottom (I think) of all theories of substance, of the subject-predicate
More informationThe Representation of Logical Form: A Dilemma
The Representation of Logical Form: A Dilemma Benjamin Ferguson 1 Introduction Throughout the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus and especially in the 2.17 s and 4.1 s Wittgenstein asserts that propositions
More informationEarly Russell on Philosophical Grammar
Early Russell on Philosophical Grammar G. J. Mattey Fall, 2005 / Philosophy 156 Philosophical Grammar The study of grammar, in my opinion, is capable of throwing far more light on philosophical questions
More informationNow consider a verb - like is pretty. Does this also stand for something?
Kripkenstein The rule-following paradox is a paradox about how it is possible for us to mean anything by the words of our language. More precisely, it is an argument which seems to show that it is impossible
More informationEmpty Names and Two-Valued Positive Free Logic
Empty Names and Two-Valued Positive Free Logic 1 Introduction Zahra Ahmadianhosseini In order to tackle the problem of handling empty names in logic, Andrew Bacon (2013) takes on an approach based on positive
More information17. Tying it up: thoughts and intentionality
17. Tying it up: thoughts and intentionality Martín Abreu Zavaleta June 23, 2014 1 Frege on thoughts Frege is concerned with separating logic from psychology. In addressing such separations, he coins a
More information(1) A phrase may be denoting, and yet not denote anything; e.g., 'the present King of France'.
On Denoting By Russell Based on the 1903 article By a 'denoting phrase' I mean a phrase such as any one of the following: a man, some man, any man, every man, all men, the present King of England, the
More information[3.] Bertrand Russell. 1
[3.] Bertrand Russell. 1 [3.1.] Biographical Background. 1872: born in the city of Trellech, in the county of Monmouthshire, now part of Wales 2 One of his grandfathers was Lord John Russell, who twice
More informationAnalyticity and reference determiners
Analyticity and reference determiners Jeff Speaks November 9, 2011 1. The language myth... 1 2. The definition of analyticity... 3 3. Defining containment... 4 4. Some remaining questions... 6 4.1. Reference
More informationRyle on Systematically Misleading Expresssions
Ryle on Systematically Misleading Expresssions G. J. Mattey Fall, 2005 / Philosophy 156 Ordinary-Language Philosophy Wittgenstein s emphasis on the way language is used in ordinary situations heralded
More informationFigure 1: Laika. Definite Descriptions Jean Mark Gawron San Diego State University. Definite Descriptions: Pick out an entity in the world (Figure 1)
Figure 1: Laika Definite Descriptions Jean Mark Gawron San Diego State University 1 Russell, Strawson, Donnellan Definite Descriptions: Pick out an entity in the world (Figure 1) (1) a. the first dog in
More informationFrege and Russell on Names and Descriptions Naïve theories
Frege and Russell on Names and Descriptions Naïve theories Owen Griffiths oeg21@cam.ac.uk Churchill and Newnham, Cambridge 9/10/18 Talk outline The Philosophy of Language The Name Theory The Idea Theory
More informationTheories of propositions
Theories of propositions phil 93515 Jeff Speaks January 16, 2007 1 Commitment to propositions.......................... 1 2 A Fregean theory of reference.......................... 2 3 Three theories of
More informationSince Michael so neatly summarized his objections in the form of three questions, all I need to do now is to answer these questions.
Replies to Michael Kremer Since Michael so neatly summarized his objections in the form of three questions, all I need to do now is to answer these questions. First, is existence really not essential by
More informationReview: The Objects of Thought, by Tim Crane. Guy Longworth University of Warwick
Review: The Objects of Thought, by Tim Crane. Guy Longworth University of Warwick 24.4.14 We can think about things that don t exist. For example, we can think about Pegasus, and Pegasus doesn t exist.
More informationPrivilege in the Construction Industry. Shamik Dasgupta Draft of February 2018
Privilege in the Construction Industry Shamik Dasgupta Draft of February 2018 The idea that the world is structured that some things are built out of others has been at the forefront of recent metaphysics.
More informationRussell s Problems of Philosophy
Russell s Problems of Philosophy UNIVERSALS & OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THEM F e b r u a r y 2 Today : 1. Review A Priori Knowledge 2. The Case for Universals 3. Universals to the Rescue! 4. On Philosophy Essays
More informationIn Reference and Definite Descriptions, Keith Donnellan makes a
Aporia vol. 16 no. 1 2006 Donnellan s Distinction: Pragmatic or Semantic Importance? ALAN FEUERLEIN In Reference and Definite Descriptions, Keith Donnellan makes a distinction between attributive and referential
More informationWhat is the Frege/Russell Analysis of Quantification? Scott Soames
What is the Frege/Russell Analysis of Quantification? Scott Soames The Frege-Russell analysis of quantification was a fundamental advance in semantics and philosophical logic. Abstracting away from details
More informationREFERENCE AND MODALITY. An Introduction to Naming and Necessity
REFERENCE AND MODALITY An Introduction to Naming and Necessity A BON-BON FROM RORTY Since Kant, philosophers have prided themselves on transcending the naive realism of Aristotle and of common sense. On
More informationA BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC FOR METAPHYSICIANS
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC FOR METAPHYSICIANS 0. Logic, Probability, and Formal Structure Logic is often divided into two distinct areas, inductive logic and deductive logic. Inductive logic is concerned
More informationTodays programme. Background of the TLP. Some problems in TLP. Frege Russell. Saying and showing. Sense and nonsense Logic The limits of language
Todays programme Background of the TLP Frege Russell Some problems in TLP Saying and showing Sense and nonsense Logic The limits of language 1 TLP, preface How far my efforts agree with those of other
More informationChapter Two Russell's theory of Proper Names
Chapter Two Russell's theory of Proper Names Russell's theory of proper name may be said to be a development of some of the basic ideas of J.S.Mill, because Mill was the first philosopher who ingrained
More informationUnit VI: Davidson and the interpretational approach to thought and language
Unit VI: Davidson and the interpretational approach to thought and language October 29, 2003 1 Davidson s interdependence thesis..................... 1 2 Davidson s arguments for interdependence................
More informationKnowledge, Language, and Nonexistent Entities
Acta Cogitata Volume 2 Article 3 Alex Hoffman Huntington University Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/ac Part of the Philosophy Commons Recommended Citation Hoffman, Alex ()
More informationBertrand Russell Proper Names, Adjectives and Verbs 1
Bertrand Russell Proper Names, Adjectives and Verbs 1 Analysis 46 Philosophical grammar can shed light on philosophical questions. Grammatical differences can be used as a source of discovery and a guide
More informationEach copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission.
Tractatus 6.3751 Author(s): Edwin B. Allaire Source: Analysis, Vol. 19, No. 5 (Apr., 1959), pp. 100-105 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of The Analysis Committee Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3326898
More informationFaults and Mathematical Disagreement
45 Faults and Mathematical Disagreement María Ponte ILCLI. University of the Basque Country mariaponteazca@gmail.com Abstract: My aim in this paper is to analyse the notion of mathematical disagreements
More information5: Preliminaries to the Argument
5: Preliminaries to the Argument In this chapter, we set forth the logical structure of the argument we will use in chapter six in our attempt to show that Nfc is self-refuting. Thus, our main topics in
More informationPHILOSOPHY 4360/5360 METAPHYSICS. Methods that Metaphysicians Use
PHILOSOPHY 4360/5360 METAPHYSICS Methods that Metaphysicians Use Method 1: The appeal to what one can imagine where imagining some state of affairs involves forming a vivid image of that state of affairs.
More information1 What is conceptual analysis and what is the problem?
1 What is conceptual analysis and what is the problem? 1.1 What is conceptual analysis? In this book, I am going to defend the viability of conceptual analysis as a philosophical method. It therefore seems
More informationOn Interpretation. Section 1. Aristotle Translated by E. M. Edghill. Part 1
On Interpretation Aristotle Translated by E. M. Edghill Section 1 Part 1 First we must define the terms noun and verb, then the terms denial and affirmation, then proposition and sentence. Spoken words
More informationBased on the translation by E. M. Edghill, with minor emendations by Daniel Kolak.
On Interpretation By Aristotle Based on the translation by E. M. Edghill, with minor emendations by Daniel Kolak. First we must define the terms 'noun' and 'verb', then the terms 'denial' and 'affirmation',
More informationFatalism and Truth at a Time Chad Marxen
Stance Volume 6 2013 29 Fatalism and Truth at a Time Chad Marxen Abstract: In this paper, I will examine an argument for fatalism. I will offer a formalized version of the argument and analyze one of the
More informationHas Nagel uncovered a form of idealism?
Has Nagel uncovered a form of idealism? Author: Terence Rajivan Edward, University of Manchester. Abstract. In the sixth chapter of The View from Nowhere, Thomas Nagel attempts to identify a form of idealism.
More informationUnderstanding Belief Reports. David Braun. In this paper, I defend a well-known theory of belief reports from an important objection.
Appeared in Philosophical Review 105 (1998), pp. 555-595. Understanding Belief Reports David Braun In this paper, I defend a well-known theory of belief reports from an important objection. The theory
More informationGreat Philosophers Bertrand Russell Evening lecture series, Department of Philosophy. Dr. Keith Begley 28/11/2017
Great Philosophers Bertrand Russell Evening lecture series, Department of Philosophy. Dr. Keith Begley kbegley@tcd.ie 28/11/2017 Overview Early Life Education Logicism Russell s Paradox Theory of Descriptions
More informationClass #3 - Meinong and Mill
Philosophy 308: The Language Revolution Fall 2014 Hamilton College Russell Marcus Class #3 - Meinong and Mill 1. Meinongian Subsistence The work of the Moderns on language shows us a problem arising in
More informationRetrospective Remarks on Events (Kim, Davidson, Quine) Philosophy 125 Day 20: Overview. The Possible & The Actual I: Intensionality of Modality 2
Branden Fitelson Philosophy 125 Lecture 1 Philosophy 125 Day 20: Overview 1st Papers/SQ s to be returned next week (a bit later than expected) Jim Prior Colloquium Today (4pm Howison, 3rd Floor Moses)
More informationPhilosophy 240: Symbolic Logic
Philosophy 240: Symbolic Logic Russell Marcus Hamilton College Fall 2011 Class 27: October 28 Truth and Liars Marcus, Symbolic Logic, Fall 2011 Slide 1 Philosophers and Truth P Sex! P Lots of technical
More informationThis is a longer version of the review that appeared in Philosophical Quarterly Vol. 47 (1997)
This is a longer version of the review that appeared in Philosophical Quarterly Vol. 47 (1997) Frege by Anthony Kenny (Penguin, 1995. Pp. xi + 223) Frege s Theory of Sense and Reference by Wolfgang Carl
More informationThe Kripkenstein Paradox and the Private World. In his paper, Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Languages, Kripke expands upon a conclusion
24.251: Philosophy of Language Paper 2: S.A. Kripke, On Rules and Private Language 21 December 2011 The Kripkenstein Paradox and the Private World In his paper, Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Languages,
More informationIs the Existence of the Best Possible World Logically Impossible?
Is the Existence of the Best Possible World Logically Impossible? Anders Kraal ABSTRACT: Since the 1960s an increasing number of philosophers have endorsed the thesis that there can be no such thing as
More informationFaith and Philosophy, April (2006), DE SE KNOWLEDGE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OMNISCIENT BEING Stephan Torre
1 Faith and Philosophy, April (2006), 191-200. Penultimate Draft DE SE KNOWLEDGE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN OMNISCIENT BEING Stephan Torre In this paper I examine an argument that has been made by Patrick
More informationTruthmakers for Negative Existentials
Truthmakers for Negative Existentials 1. Introduction: We have already seen that absences and nothings cause problems for philosophers. Well, they re an especially huge problem for truthmaker theorists.
More informationComments on Lasersohn
Comments on Lasersohn John MacFarlane September 29, 2006 I ll begin by saying a bit about Lasersohn s framework for relativist semantics and how it compares to the one I ve been recommending. I ll focus
More informationCan logical consequence be deflated?
Can logical consequence be deflated? Michael De University of Utrecht Department of Philosophy Utrecht, Netherlands mikejde@gmail.com in Insolubles and Consequences : essays in honour of Stephen Read,
More informationPhilosophy 1100: Introduction to Ethics. Critical Thinking Lecture 1. Background Material for the Exercise on Validity
Philosophy 1100: Introduction to Ethics Critical Thinking Lecture 1 Background Material for the Exercise on Validity Reasons, Arguments, and the Concept of Validity 1. The Concept of Validity Consider
More informationDoes the Skeptic Win? A Defense of Moore. I. Moorean Methodology. In A Proof of the External World, Moore argues as follows:
Does the Skeptic Win? A Defense of Moore I argue that Moore s famous response to the skeptic should be accepted even by the skeptic. My paper has three main stages. First, I will briefly outline G. E.
More informationVarieties of Apriority
S E V E N T H E X C U R S U S Varieties of Apriority T he notions of a priori knowledge and justification play a central role in this work. There are many ways in which one can understand the a priori,
More informationAyer s linguistic theory of the a priori
Ayer s linguistic theory of the a priori phil 43904 Jeff Speaks December 4, 2007 1 The problem of a priori knowledge....................... 1 2 Necessity and the a priori............................ 2
More informationIdealism and the Harmony of Thought and Reality
Idealism and the Harmony of Thought and Reality Thomas Hofweber University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hofweber@unc.edu Draft of September 26, 2017 for The Fourteenth Annual NYU Conference on Issues
More informationNegative Facts. Negative Facts Kyle Spoor
54 Kyle Spoor Logical Atomism was a view held by many philosophers; Bertrand Russell among them. This theory held that language consists of logical parts which are simplifiable until they can no longer
More informationIII Knowledge is true belief based on argument. Plato, Theaetetus, 201 c-d Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? Edmund Gettier
III Knowledge is true belief based on argument. Plato, Theaetetus, 201 c-d Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? Edmund Gettier In Theaetetus Plato introduced the definition of knowledge which is often translated
More informationComments on Ontological Anti-Realism
Comments on Ontological Anti-Realism Cian Dorr INPC 2007 In 1950, Quine inaugurated a strange new way of talking about philosophy. The hallmark of this approach is a propensity to take ordinary colloquial
More informationRamsey s belief > action > truth theory.
Ramsey s belief > action > truth theory. Monika Gruber University of Vienna 11.06.2016 Monika Gruber (University of Vienna) Ramsey s belief > action > truth theory. 11.06.2016 1 / 30 1 Truth and Probability
More informationSemantic Foundations for Deductive Methods
Semantic Foundations for Deductive Methods delineating the scope of deductive reason Roger Bishop Jones Abstract. The scope of deductive reason is considered. First a connection is discussed between the
More informationON DENOTING BERTRAND RUSSELL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MIND 14.4 (1905): THIS COPY FROM PHILOSOPHY-INDEX.COM.
ON DENOTING BERTRAND RUSSELL ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MIND 14.4 (1905): 479-493. THIS COPY FROM PHILOSOPHY-INDEX.COM. By a denoting phrase I mean a phrase such as any one of the following: a man, some man,
More informationClass 33 - November 13 Philosophy Friday #6: Quine and Ontological Commitment Fisher 59-69; Quine, On What There Is
Philosophy 240: Symbolic Logic Fall 2009 Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 9am - 9:50am Hamilton College Russell Marcus rmarcus1@hamilton.edu I. The riddle of non-being Two basic philosophical questions are:
More informationVerificationism. PHIL September 27, 2011
Verificationism PHIL 83104 September 27, 2011 1. The critique of metaphysics... 1 2. Observation statements... 2 3. In principle verifiability... 3 4. Strong verifiability... 3 4.1. Conclusive verifiability
More informationOn possibly nonexistent propositions
On possibly nonexistent propositions Jeff Speaks January 25, 2011 abstract. Alvin Plantinga gave a reductio of the conjunction of the following three theses: Existentialism (the view that, e.g., the proposition
More informationTransition to Quantified Predicate Logic
Transition to Quantified Predicate Logic Predicates You may remember (but of course you do!) during the first class period, I introduced the notion of validity with an argument much like (with the same
More informationHow to Write a Philosophy Paper
How to Write a Philosophy Paper The goal of a philosophy paper is simple: make a compelling argument. This guide aims to teach you how to write philosophy papers, starting from the ground up. To do that,
More informationIdealism and the Harmony of Thought and Reality
Idealism and the Harmony of Thought and Reality Thomas Hofweber University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hofweber@unc.edu Final Version Forthcoming in Mind Abstract Although idealism was widely defended
More informationMillian responses to Frege s puzzle
Millian responses to Frege s puzzle phil 93914 Jeff Speaks February 28, 2008 1 Two kinds of Millian................................. 1 2 Conciliatory Millianism............................... 2 2.1 Hidden
More informationEach copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission.
The Physical World Author(s): Barry Stroud Source: Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, New Series, Vol. 87 (1986-1987), pp. 263-277 Published by: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Aristotelian
More informationPlato's Epistemology PHIL October Introduction
1 Plato's Epistemology PHIL 305 28 October 2014 1. Introduction This paper argues that Plato's theory of forms, specifically as it is presented in the middle dialogues, ought to be considered a viable
More informationThe Sea-Fight Tomorrow by Aristotle
The Sea-Fight Tomorrow by Aristotle Aristotle, Antiquities Project About the author.... Aristotle (384-322) studied for twenty years at Plato s Academy in Athens. Following Plato s death, Aristotle left
More informationNoncognitivism in Ethics, by Mark Schroeder. London: Routledge, 251 pp.
Noncognitivism in Ethics, by Mark Schroeder. London: Routledge, 251 pp. Noncognitivism in Ethics is Mark Schroeder s third book in four years. That is very impressive. What is even more impressive is that
More informationNominalism III: Austere Nominalism 1. Philosophy 125 Day 7: Overview. Nominalism IV: Austere Nominalism 2
Branden Fitelson Philosophy 125 Lecture 1 Philosophy 125 Day 7: Overview Administrative Stuff First Paper Topics and Study Questions will be announced Thursday (9/18) All section locations are now (finally!)
More informationVAGUENESS. Francis Jeffry Pelletier and István Berkeley Department of Philosophy University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
VAGUENESS Francis Jeffry Pelletier and István Berkeley Department of Philosophy University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Vagueness: an expression is vague if and only if it is possible that it give
More informationChadwick Prize Winner: Christian Michel THE LIAR PARADOX OUTSIDE-IN
Chadwick Prize Winner: Christian Michel THE LIAR PARADOX OUTSIDE-IN To classify sentences like This proposition is false as having no truth value or as nonpropositions is generally considered as being
More informationCould have done otherwise, action sentences and anaphora
Could have done otherwise, action sentences and anaphora HELEN STEWARD What does it mean to say of a certain agent, S, that he or she could have done otherwise? Clearly, it means nothing at all, unless
More informationContemporary Theology I: Hegel to Death of God Theologies
Contemporary Theology I: Hegel to Death of God Theologies ST503 LESSON 19 of 24 John S. Feinberg, Ph.D. Experience: Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In
More informationConference on the Epistemology of Keith Lehrer, PUCRS, Porto Alegre (Brazil), June
2 Reply to Comesaña* Réplica a Comesaña Carl Ginet** 1. In the Sentence-Relativity section of his comments, Comesaña discusses my attempt (in the Relativity to Sentences section of my paper) to convince
More informationEtchemendy, Tarski, and Logical Consequence 1 Jared Bates, University of Missouri Southwest Philosophy Review 15 (1999):
Etchemendy, Tarski, and Logical Consequence 1 Jared Bates, University of Missouri Southwest Philosophy Review 15 (1999): 47 54. Abstract: John Etchemendy (1990) has argued that Tarski's definition of logical
More informationLecture 3. I argued in the previous lecture for a relationist solution to Frege's puzzle, one which
1 Lecture 3 I argued in the previous lecture for a relationist solution to Frege's puzzle, one which posits a semantic difference between the pairs of names 'Cicero', 'Cicero' and 'Cicero', 'Tully' even
More information10 CERTAINTY G.E. MOORE: SELECTED WRITINGS
10 170 I am at present, as you can all see, in a room and not in the open air; I am standing up, and not either sitting or lying down; I have clothes on, and am not absolutely naked; I am speaking in a
More informationLecture 4. Before beginning the present lecture, I should give the solution to the homework problem
1 Lecture 4 Before beginning the present lecture, I should give the solution to the homework problem posed in the last lecture: how, within the framework of coordinated content, might we define the notion
More informationSubjective Logic: Logic as Rational Belief Dynamics. Richard Johns Department of Philosophy, UBC
Subjective Logic: Logic as Rational Belief Dynamics Richard Johns Department of Philosophy, UBC johns@interchange.ubc.ca May 8, 2004 What I m calling Subjective Logic is a new approach to logic. Fundamentally
More informationRUSSELL, NEGATIVE FACTS, AND ONTOLOGY* L. NATHAN OAKLANDERt SILVANO MIRACCHI
RUSSELL, NEGATIVE FACTS, AND ONTOLOGY* L. NATHAN OAKLANDERt University of Michigan-Flint SILVANO MIRACCHI Beverly Hills, California Russell's introduction of negative facts to account for the truth of
More informationTheories of epistemic justification can be divided into two groups: internalist and
1 Internalism and externalism about justification Theories of epistemic justification can be divided into two groups: internalist and externalist. Internalist theories of justification say that whatever
More informationReview of Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics by Thomas Hofweber Billy Dunaway University of Missouri St Louis
Review of Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics by Thomas Hofweber Billy Dunaway University of Missouri St Louis Are there are numbers, propositions, or properties? These are questions that are traditionally
More informationAyer on the criterion of verifiability
Ayer on the criterion of verifiability November 19, 2004 1 The critique of metaphysics............................. 1 2 Observation statements............................... 2 3 In principle verifiability...............................
More informationCoordination Problems
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research Philosophy and Phenomenological Research Vol. LXXXI No. 2, September 2010 Ó 2010 Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, LLC Coordination Problems scott soames
More informationStrawson On Referring. By: Jake McDougall and Siri Cosper
Strawson On Referring By: Jake McDougall and Siri Cosper Russell s Theory of Descriptions S: The King of France is wise. Russell believed that our languages grammar, or every day use, was underpinned by
More information