back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 6061

[from 'On Denoting' by Bertrand Russell, in 5. Theory of Logic / G. Quantification / 3. Objectual Quantification ]

Full Idea

Nowadays Russell's position is routinely put by saying that existence is what is expressed by the existential quantifier and only by that.

Gist of Idea

Existence is entirely expressed by the existential quantifier

Source

report of Bertrand Russell (On Denoting [1905]) by Colin McGinn - Logical Properties Ch.2

Book Reference

McGinn,Colin: 'Logical Properties' [OUP 2003], p.20


A Reaction

We must keep separate how you express existence, and what it is. Quantifiers seem only to be a style of expressing existence; they don't offer any insight into what existence actually is, or what we mean by 'exist'. McGinn dislikes quantifiers.