Single Idea 9182

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

Full Idea

In the case of 'Obadiah', associated only with one act of writing a prophecy, ..it is the tradition which connects our use of the name with the man; where the actual name itself first came from has little to do with it.

Gist of Idea

Ancient names like 'Obadiah' depend on tradition, not on where the name originated

Source

Michael Dummett (Frege's Distinction of Sense and Reference [1975], p.256)

Book Reference

'Meaning and Reference', ed/tr. Moore,A.W. [OUP 1993], p.256


A Reaction

Excellent. This seems to me a much more accurate account of reference than the notion of a baptism. In the case of 'Homer', whether someone was ever baptised thus is of no importance to us. The tradition is everything. Also Shakespeare.