Single Idea 19217

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 1. Meaning]

Full Idea

The Aboutness Assumption says that necessarily, if a proposition is directly about an entity, then that proposition stands in a relation to the entity. I shall argue that the Assumption is false.

Gist of Idea

I don't accept that if a proposition is directly about an entity, it has a relation to the entity

Source

Trenton Merricks (Propositions [2015], 5.VII)

Book Reference

Merricks,Trenton: 'Propositions' [OUP 2015], p.186


A Reaction

This feels sort of right, though the nature of aboutness remains elusive. He cites denials of existence. I take speech to be fairly internal, even though its main role is communication. Maybe its a Cambridge relation, as far as the entity is concerned.