Combining Texts

Ideas for 'works', 'Conceptual truth and metaphysical necessity' and 'The Evolution of Logic'

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19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / b. Causal reference
One view says the causal story is built into the description that is the name's content [Stalnaker]
     Full Idea: In 'causal descriptivism' the causal story is built into the description that is the content of the name (and also incorporates a rigidifying operator to ensure that the descriptions that names abbreviate have wide scope).
     From: Robert C. Stalnaker (Conceptual truth and metaphysical necessity [2003], 5)
     A reaction: Not very controversial, I would say, since virtually every fact about the world has a 'causal story' built into it. Must we insist on rigidity in order to have wide scope?