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Single Idea 9454

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 2. Descriptions / b. Definite descriptions ]

Full Idea

The four leading theories of definite descriptions are Frege's, Russell's, Evans's, and Prior's, ...of which to many Frege's is the most intuitive of the four. Frege says they refer to the unique item (if it exists) which satisfies the predicate.

Gist of Idea

The four leading theories of definite descriptions are Frege's, Russell's, Evans's, and Prior's

Source

George Bealer (Propositions [1998], §5)

Book Ref

'Philosophy of Logic: an anthology', ed/tr. Jacquette,Dale [Blackwell 2002], p.127


A Reaction

He doesn't expound the other three, but I record this a corrective to the view that Russell has the only game in town.


The 5 ideas from George Bealer

Sentences saying the same with the same rigid designators may still express different propositions [Bealer]
Propositions might be reduced to functions (worlds to truth values), or ordered sets of properties and relations [Bealer]
Modal logic and brain science have reaffirmed traditional belief in propositions [Bealer]
The four leading theories of definite descriptions are Frege's, Russell's, Evans's, and Prior's [Bealer]
Maybe proper names have the content of fixing a thing's category [Bealer]