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Single Idea 11170

[from 'Essence and Modality' by Kit Fine, in 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 2. Analytic Truths ]

Full Idea

Just as a necessary truth may be true in virtue of the identity of certain objects as opposed to others, so an analytic truth may be true in virtue of the meanings of certain terms as opposed to others (such as 'bachelor' rather than 'unmarried').

Gist of Idea

Analytic truth may only be true in virtue of the meanings of certain terms

Source

Kit Fine (Essence and Modality [1994], p.10)

Book Reference

-: 'Philosophical Perspectives' [-], p.10


A Reaction

This is a beautifully simple observation, that the necessity of 'bachelors are unmarried men' derives from part of the proposition, not from the whole of it. So what is it about the part that generates the apparent necessity? The nature of the concept!