Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Lynch,MP/Glasgow,JM, J.B. Watson and David E. Cooper

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1 idea

5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 2. Descriptions / c. Theory of definite descriptions

4568	If 'Queen of England' does not refer if there is no queen, its meaning can't refer if there is one [Cooper,DE]
	Full Idea: If 'the Queen of England' is not a referring expression when there is no queen, nor can it be one when there is a queen - since the meaning of the expression is the same in either case.
	From: David E. Cooper (Philosophy and the Nature of Language [1973], §4.1)
	A reaction: I'm not convinced. Does this mean that since I can point with my finger at nothing, I therefore do not indicate anything when there is an object at which I am pointing. Sounds silly to me.