Ideas from 'Mathematical Logic (revised)' by Willard Quine [1940], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Mathematical Logic (revised)' by Quine,Willard [Harvard 1979,0-674-55451-5]].

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5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 4. Variables in Logic

12221

'Corner quotes' (quasi-quotation) designate 'whatever these terms designate'

			Full Idea: A 'quasi-quotation' [corner quotes, Quine quotes] designates that (unspecified) expression which is obtained from the contents of the corners by replacing the Greek letters by the (unspecified) expressions which they designate.
			From: Willard Quine (Mathematical Logic (revised) [1940], 1.6)
			A reaction: Filed under 'variables', as they seem to be variables that can refer to actual expressions, like algebra. Quine was determined to distinguish clearly between 'mention' and 'use'. 'Half-hearted substitutional quantification', says Fine.

5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / f. Names eliminated

19321

We might do without names, by converting them into predicates

			Full Idea: Quine suggests that we can have a language with just predicates and no names. Thus for 'Ralph is red' we say 'x Ralphises and x is red'.
			From: report of Willard Quine (Mathematical Logic (revised) [1940]) by Richard L. Kirkham - Theories of Truth: a Critical Introduction 5.6
			A reaction: Kirkham discusses this as a way of getting round the lack of names in Tarski's theory of truth (which just uses objects, predicates and quantifiers). Otherwise you must supplement Tarski with an account of what the names refer to.