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Full Idea
Recognising the definite description 'the man' as a quantifier phrase, rather than a singular term, is a real insight.
Gist of Idea
Recognising the definite description 'the man' as a quantifier phrase, not a singular term, is a real insight
Source
Scott Soames (Philosophy of Language [2010], 1.22)
Book Ref
Soames,Scott: 'Philosophy of Language' [Princeton 2010], p.24
A Reaction
'Would the man who threw the stone come forward' seems like a different usage from 'would the man in the black hat come forward'.
| 15152 | To study meaning, study truth conditions, on the basis of syntax, and representation by the parts [Soames] |
| 15153 | Tarski's account of truth-conditions is too weak to determine meanings [Soames] |
| 15154 | We should use cognitive states to explain representational propositions, not vice versa [Soames] |
| 15156 | The universal and existential quantifiers were chosen to suit mathematics [Soames] |
| 15157 | Recognising the definite description 'the man' as a quantifier phrase, not a singular term, is a real insight [Soames] |
| 15158 | Indefinite descriptions are quantificational in subject position, but not in predicate position [Soames] |
| 15163 | The interest of quantified modal logic is its metaphysical necessity and essentialism [Soames] |
| 15161 | There are more metaphysically than logically necessary truths [Soames] |
| 15162 | We understand metaphysical necessity intuitively, from ordinary life [Soames] |