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Single Idea 4977

[filed under theme 19. Language / B. Reference / 4. Descriptive Reference / a. Sense and reference ]

Full Idea

The expression 'the least rapidly convergent series' has a sense but demonstrably there is no reference, since a less rapidly convergent series (for any given series) can always be found.

Gist of Idea

In maths, there are phrases with a clear sense, but no actual reference

Source

Gottlob Frege (On Sense and Reference [1892], p.28)

Book Ref

Frege,Gottlob: 'Translations from the Writings of Gottlob Frege', ed/tr. Geach,P/Black,M [Blackwell 1980], p.58

A Reaction

A nice example. 'The second Kennedy assassin' has a clear meaning, but does it have a reference? The meaning 'points at' a possible reference. We yet discover an identity.

The 17 ideas with the same theme [reference language has two components]:

15597 Frege's Puzzle: from different semantics we infer different reference for two names with the same reference [Frege, by Fine,K]
17002 Frege's 'sense' is ambiguous, between the meaning of a designator, and how it fixes reference [Kripke on Frege]
18778 Every descriptive name has a sense, but may not have a reference [Frege]
7805 Frege started as anti-realist, but the sense/reference distinction led him to realism [Frege, by Benardete,JA]
4976 The meaning (reference) of 'evening star' is the same as that of 'morning star', but not the sense [Frege]
4977 In maths, there are phrases with a clear sense, but no actual reference [Frege]
4979 We are driven from sense to reference by our desire for truth [Frege]
8449 Senses can't be subjective, because propositions would be private, and disagreement impossible [Frege]
16987 By eliminating descriptions from primitive notation, Russell seems to reject 'sense' [Russell, by Kripke]
3893 Often reference determines sense, and not (as Frege thought) vice versa [Putnam, by Scruton]
2519 It is generally accepted that sense is defined as the determiner of reference [Katz]
2436 It is claimed that reference doesn't fix sense (Jocasta), and sense doesn't fix reference (Twin Earth) [Fodor]
3149 Referential Opacity says truth is lost when you substitute one referring term ('mother') for another ('Jocasta') [Rey]
12231 Reference needs truth as well as sense [Hale/Wright]
16372 Sense determines reference says same sense/same reference; new reference means new sense [Recanati]
16388 We need sense as well as reference, but in a non-descriptive form, and mental files do that [Recanati]
16359 Sense is a mental file (not its contents); similar files for Cicero and Tully are two senses [Recanati]