more on this theme | more from this text
Full Idea
A semantic theory of names should deliver a specification of the conditions under which a name names an individual, and hence a specification of the conditions under which a name is empty.
Gist of Idea
Semantic theory should specify when an act of naming is successful
Source
Sarah Sawyer (Empty Names [2012], 1)
Book Ref
'Routledge Companion to Phil of Language', ed/tr. Russell/Graff Faria [Routledge 2015], p.153
A Reaction
Naming can be private, like naming my car 'Bertrand', but never tell anyone. I like Plato's remark that names are 'tools'. Do we specify conditions for successful spanner-usage? The first step must be individuation, preparatory to naming.
Related Idea
Idea 13777 A name is a sort of tool [Plato]
| 18935 | Semantic theory should specify when an act of naming is successful [Sawyer] |
| 18934 | Sentences with empty names can be understood, be co-referential, and even be true [Sawyer] |
| 18938 | Frege's compositional account of truth-vaues makes 'Pegasus doesn't exist' neither true nor false [Sawyer] |
| 18945 | Millians say a name just means its object [Sawyer] |
| 18947 | Definites descriptions don't solve the empty names problem, because the properties may not exist [Sawyer] |