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Single Idea 10801

[from 'Reply to Professor Marcus' by Willard Quine, in 5. Theory of Logic / G. Quantification / 4. Substitutional Quantification ]

Full Idea

When we reconstrue quantification in terms of substituted expressions rather than real values, we waive reference. ...but if reference matters, we cannot afford to waive it as a category; and if it does not, we do not need to.

Gist of Idea

Either reference really matters, or we don't need to replace it with substitutions

Source

Willard Quine (Reply to Professor Marcus [1962], p.183)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ways of Paradox and other essays' [Harvard 1976], p.183


A Reaction

An odd dilemma to pose. Presumably the substitution account is an attempt to explain how language actually works, without mentioning dubious direct ontological commitment in the quantifiers.