Single Idea 16350

[catalogued under 19. Language / C. Assigning Meanings / 10. Two-Dimensional Semantics]

Full Idea

Descriptivism has trouble catching the singularity of objects, construing them as only directly about properties. …To get the truth-conditions right, it is claimed, the descriptivist only as to go two-dimensional.

Gist of Idea

Two-D semantics is said to help descriptivism of reference deal with singular objects

Source

François Recanati (Mental Files [2012], 2.1)

Book Reference

Recanati,François: 'Mental Files' [OUP 2012], p.17


A Reaction

I suspect that the descriptivist only has a problem here because context is being ignored. 'That man on the beach' can quickly be made uniquely singular after a brief chat.

Related Ideas

Idea 16348 Descriptivism says we mentally relate to objects through their properties [Recanati]

Idea 16351 In 2-D semantics, reference is determined, then singularity by the truth of a predication [Recanati]