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Single Idea 9364

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / a. Names ]

Full Idea

A name must represent some uniformity in experience or it names nothing.

Gist of Idea

Names represent a uniformity in experience, or they name nothing

Source

C.I. Lewis (A Pragmatic Conception of the A Priori [1923], p.368)

Book Ref

Peirce,James,Dewey etc: 'Pragmatism - The Classic Writings', ed/tr. Thayer,H.S. [Hackett 1982], p.368


A Reaction

I like this because, in the quintessentially linguistic debate about the exact logical role of names, it reminds us that names arise because of the way reality is; they are not sui generis private games for logicians.


The 15 ideas from C.I. Lewis

Extension is the class of things, intension is the correct definition of the thing, and intension determines extension [Lewis,CI]
If anything is to be probable, then something must be certain [Lewis,CI]
We rely on memory for empirical beliefs because they mutually support one another [Lewis,CI]
Congruents assertions increase the probability of each individual assertion in the set [Lewis,CI]
If we doubt memories we cannot assess our doubt, or what is being doubted [Lewis,CI]
Excluded middle is just our preference for a simplified dichotomy in experience [Lewis,CI]
There are several logics, none of which will ever derive falsehoods from truth [Lewis,CI]
Necessary truths are those we will maintain no matter what [Lewis,CI]
We have to separate the mathematical from physical phenomena by abstraction [Lewis,CI]
Science seeks classification which will discover laws, essences, and predictions [Lewis,CI]
Names represent a uniformity in experience, or they name nothing [Lewis,CI]
We can maintain a priori principles come what may, but we can also change them [Lewis,CI]
Modal logic began with translation difficulties for 'If...then' [Lewis,CI, by Girle]
Equating necessity with informal provability is the S4 conception of necessity [Lewis,CI, by Read]
The simplest of the logics based on possible worlds is Lewis's S5 [Lewis,CI, by Girle]