Single Idea 6439

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / e. Empty names]

Full Idea

Unlike descriptions, names are meaningless unless there is an object which they designate.

Gist of Idea

Names are meaningless unless there is an object which they designate

Source

Bertrand Russell (My Philosophical Development [1959], Ch.14)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'My Philosophical Development' [Routledge 1993], p.125


A Reaction

This interests Russell because of its ontological implications. If we reduce language to names, we can have a pure ontology of 'objects'. We need a system for saying whether a description names something - which is his theory of definite descriptions.