Single Idea 16988

[catalogued under 19. Language / B. Reference / 4. Descriptive Reference / b. Reference by description]

Full Idea

Summary: in favour of the descriptive theory of names are it gives you a mechanism for doing the referring (and Mill doesn't), we can identify two descriptions if there is one referent, and it allows us to question the existence of a referent.

Gist of Idea

Descriptive reference shows how to refer, how to identify two things, and how to challenge existence

Source

report of Saul A. Kripke (Naming and Necessity lectures [1970], Lecture 1) by PG - Db (ideas)

Book Reference

Kripke,Saul: 'Naming and Necessity' [Blackwell 1980], p.28


A Reaction

If this problem is seen in terms of mental files (with labels and contents) this whole problem becomes a lot clearer. I take reference to be the action of a thinker, not a function of language.