Single Idea 9868

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / d. Singular terms]

Full Idea

For Wright, an expression refers to an object if it fulfils the 'syntactic role' of a singular term, and if we have fixed the truth-conditions of sentences containing it in such a way that some of them come out true.

Gist of Idea

An expression refers if it is a singular term in some true sentences

Source

report of Crispin Wright (Frege's Concept of Numbers as Objects [1983]) by Michael Dummett - Frege philosophy of mathematics Ch.15

Book Reference

Dummett,Michael: 'Frege: philosophy of mathematics' [Duckworth 1991], p.189


A Reaction

Much waffle is written about reference, and it is nice to hear of someone actually trying to state the necessary and sufficient conditions for reference to be successful. So is it possible for 'the round square' to ever refer? '...is impossible to draw'