Single Idea 14650

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / a. Names]

Full Idea

Perhaps the notion of a proper name itself involves essentialism.

Gist of Idea

Maybe proper names involve essentialism

Source

Alvin Plantinga (De Re and De Dicto [1969], p.43)

Book Reference

Plantinga,Alvin: 'Essays in the Metaphysics of Modality' [OUP 2003], p.43


A Reaction

This is just before Kripke's announcement of 'rigid designation', which seems to have relaunched modern essentialism. The thought is that you can't name something, if you don't have a stable notion of what is (and isn't) being named.