Single Idea 10442

[catalogued under 19. Language / B. Reference / 4. Descriptive Reference / b. Reference by description]

Full Idea

Being able to think of an individual does not require being able to identify that individual by means of a uniquely characterizing description.

Gist of Idea

We can think of an individual without have a uniquely characterizing description

Source

Kent Bach (What Does It Take to Refer? [2006], 22.1 s1)

Book Reference

'Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Language', ed/tr. Lepore,E/Smith,B [OUP 2008], p.522


A Reaction

There is a bit of an equivocation over 'recognise' here. His example is 'the first child born in the 4th century'. We can't visually recognise such people, but the description does fix them, and a records office might give us 'recognition'.