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Full Idea
Proper names pose a problem for the "use" theorist. Try stating a rule of use for the name 'William G. Lycan'.
Gist of Idea
It is hard to state a rule of use for a proper name
Source
William Lycan (Philosophy of Language [2000], Ch. 6)
Book Ref
Lycan,William G.: 'Philosophy of Language' [Routledge 2000], p.94
A Reaction
Presumably it is normally used in connection with a particular human being, and is typically the subject of a grammatical sentence. Any piece of language could also be used to, say, attract someone's attention.
| 7755 | Singular terms refer, using proper names, definite descriptions, singular personal pronouns, demonstratives, etc. [Lycan] |
| 7763 | It is hard to state a rule of use for a proper name [Lycan] |
| 7764 | Could I successfully use an expression, without actually understanding it? [Lycan] |
| 7766 | Meaning must be known before we can consider verification [Lycan] |
| 7768 | The truth conditions theory sees meaning as representation [Lycan] |
| 7770 | Truth conditions will come out the same for sentences with 'renate' or 'cordate' [Lycan] |
| 7773 | A sentence's truth conditions is the set of possible worlds in which the sentence is true [Lycan] |
| 7774 | Possible worlds explain aspects of meaning neatly - entailment, for example, is the subset relation [Lycan] |