Single Idea 5830

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / b. Names as descriptive]

Full Idea

The traditional theory of proper names entails that at least some combination of the things ordinarily believed of Aristotle are necessarily true of him.

Gist of Idea

The traditional theory of names says some of the descriptions must be correct

Source

Stephen P. Schwartz (Intro to Naming,Necessity and Natural Kinds [1977], §III)

Book Reference

'Naming, Necessity, and Natural Kinds', ed/tr. Schwartz,Stephen P. [Cornell 1979], p.23


A Reaction

Searle endorses this traditional theory. Kripke and co. tried to dismiss it, but you can't. If all descriptions of Aristotle turned out to be false (it was actually the name of a Persian statue), our modern references would have been unsuccessful.