Single Idea 12154

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / d. Counting via concepts]

Full Idea

If we list the words 'bull', 'bull' and 'cow', it is often said that there are three 'word tokens' but only two 'word types', but Geach says there are not two kinds of object to be counted, but two different ways of counting the same object.

Gist of Idea

Are 'word token' and 'word type' different sorts of countable objects, or two ways of counting?

Source

report of Peter Geach (Reference and Generality (3rd ed) [1980]) by John Perry - The Same F II

Book Reference

'Metaphysics - An Anthology', ed/tr. Sosa,E. /Kim,J. [Blackwell 1999], p.93


A Reaction

Insofar as the notion that a 'word type' is an 'object', my sympathies are entirely with Geach, to my surprise. Geach's point is that 'bull' and 'bull' are the same meaning, but different actual words. Identity is relative to a concept.