Single Idea 5823

[catalogued under 19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / b. Causal reference]

Full Idea

A necessary (but not sufficient) condition for x's being the intended referent of S's use of a name is that x should be the source of the causal origin of the body of information that S has associated with the name.

Gist of Idea

The intended referent of a name needs to be the cause of the speaker's information about it

Source

Gareth Evans (The Causal Theory of Names [1973], §I)

Book Reference

Evans,Gareth: 'Collected Papers' [OUP 1985], p.13


A Reaction

This is Evans's adaptation of Kripke's causal theory of names. This cries out for a counterexample. I say something about General Montgomery, having just listened to 'Monty's Double' give a talk, believing it was Montgomery?