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Single Idea 21636

[from 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' by Thomas Hofweber, in 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / d. Singular terms ]

Full Idea

Being a 'singular term' is not a category in contemporary syntactic theory and it doesn't correspond to any of the notions employed there like that of a singular noun phrase or the like.

Gist of Idea

'Singular terms' are not found in modern linguistics, and are not the same as noun phrases

Source

Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 02.3)

Book Reference

Hofweber,Thomas: 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' [OUP 2018], p.25


A Reaction

Hofweber has researched such things. This is an important objection to the reliance of modern Fregeans on the ontological commitments of singular terms (as proof that there are 'mathematical objects').