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Single Idea 6102

[from 'The Philosophy of Logical Atomism' by Bertrand Russell, in 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / a. Names ]

Full Idea

If you understand English you would understand the phrase 'the author of Waverley' if you had not heard it before, whereas you would not understand the meaning of 'Scott', because to know the meaning of a name is to know who it is applied to.

Gist of Idea

You can understand 'author of Waverley', but to understand 'Scott' you must know who it applies to

Source

Bertrand Russell (The Philosophy of Logical Atomism [1918], §VI)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Russell's Logical Atomism', ed/tr. Pears,David [Fontana 1972], p.102


A Reaction

Actually, you would find 'Waverley' a bit baffling too. Would you understand "he was the author of his own destruction"? You can understand "Homer was the author of this" without knowing quite who 'Homer' applies to. All very tricky.