Single Idea 12440

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / b. Commitment of quantifiers]

Full Idea

The argument that objectual quantifiers are ontologically committing has the crucial and unnoticed presupposition that the language in which the semantics for the objectual quantifiers is couched (the 'metalanguage') also has quantifiers with commitment.

Gist of Idea

If objectual quantifiers ontologically commit, so does the metalanguage for its semantics

Source

Jody Azzouni (Deflating Existential Consequence [2004], Ch.3)

Book Reference

Azzouni,Jody: 'Deflating Existential Consequence' [OUP 2004], p.54


A Reaction

That is, presumably we find ourselves ontologically committed to the existence of quantifiers, and are also looking at an infinite regress. See Idea 12439.

Related Idea

Idea 12439 Truth is dispensable, by replacing truth claims with the sentence itself [Azzouni]