Single Idea 2340

[catalogued under 19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / a. Direct reference]

Full Idea

The effect of my account, as of Kripke's, is to separate the question of how the reference of terms such as 'gold' is fixed from the question of their conceptual content.

Gist of Idea

We should separate how the reference of 'gold' is fixed from its conceptual content

Source

Hilary Putnam (Representation and Reality [1988], §2 p.38)

Book Reference

Putnam,Hilary: 'Representation and Reality' [MIT 1992], p.38


A Reaction

Too simple. 'Gold' isn't a proper name, like 'Hilary', which needs no more content than a serial number. Baptising a gold sample needs much more information than baptising a person.