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Single Idea 16416

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / G. Quantification / 1. Quantification ]

Full Idea

The inferential role of the existential quantifier in first order logic does not carry over to the existential quantifier in English (we have empty names, singular terms that are not even in the business of denoting, and so on).

Gist of Idea

The quantifier in logic is not like the ordinary English one (which has empty names, non-denoting terms etc)

Source

Thomas Hofweber (Ambitious, yet modest, Metaphysics [2009], 2)

Book Ref

'Metametaphysics', ed/tr. Chalmers/Manley/Wasserman [OUP 2009], p.274

The 3 ideas from 'Ambitious, yet modest, Metaphysics'

16413 Science has discovered properties of things, so there are properties - so who needs metaphysics? [Hofweber]
16416 The quantifier in logic is not like the ordinary English one (which has empty names, non-denoting terms etc) [Hofweber]
16415 Esoteric metaphysics aims to be top science, investigating ultimate reality [Hofweber]