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Single Idea 7757
[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / d. Singular terms
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Full Idea
Though someone just beginning to learn English might take it as one, "nobody" is not a singular term, but a quantifier.
Gist of Idea
"Nobody" is not a singular term, but a quantifier
Source
report of Bertrand Russell (On Denoting [1905]) by William Lycan - Philosophy of Language Ch.1
Book Ref
Lycan,William G.: 'Philosophy of Language' [Routledge 2000], p.17
A Reaction
If someone replies to "nobody's there" with "show him to me!", presumably it IS a singular term - just one that doesn't work very well. If you want to get on in life, treat it as a quantifier; if you just want to have fun...
The
16 ideas
with the same theme
[any phrase intended to pick out a single object]:
10510
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Frege ascribes reference to incomplete expressions, as well as to singular terms
[Frege, by Hale]
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7757
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"Nobody" is not a singular term, but a quantifier
[Russell, by Lycan]
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2612
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Russell rewrote singular term names as predicates
[Russell, by Ayer]
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9868
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An expression refers if it is a singular term in some true sentences
[Wright,C, by Dummett]
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3137
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Varieties of singular terms are used to designate token particulars
[Rey]
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7755
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Singular terms refer, using proper names, definite descriptions, singular personal pronouns, demonstratives, etc.
[Lycan]
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12230
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Singular terms refer if they make certain atomic statements true
[Hale/Wright]
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10670
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A 'singulariser' converts a plural like 'number of' to a syntactically neutral form
[Cartwright,H, by Hossack]
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10312
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Often the same singular term does not ensure reliable inference
[Hale]
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10313
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Plenty of clear examples have singular terms with no ontological commitment
[Hale]
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10316
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We should decide whether singular terms are genuine by their usage
[Hale]
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10322
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If singular terms can't be language-neutral, then we face a relativity about their objects
[Hale]
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10001
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An adjective contributes semantically to a noun phrase
[Hofweber]
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21636
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'Singular terms' are not found in modern linguistics, and are not the same as noun phrases
[Hofweber]
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21637
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If two processes are said to be identical, that doesn't make their terms refer to entities
[Hofweber]
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16357
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Mental files are the counterparts of singular terms
[Recanati]
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