Single Idea 14110

[catalogued under 19. Language / D. Propositions / 1. Propositions]

Full Idea

A proposition, unless it happens to be linguistic, does not itself contain words: it contains the entities indicated by words.

Gist of Idea

Proposition contain entities indicated by words, rather than the words themselves

Source

Bertrand Russell (The Principles of Mathematics [1903], §051)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Principles of Mathematics' [Routledge 1992], p.47


A Reaction

Russell says in his Preface that he took over this view of propositions from G.E. Moore. They are now known as 'Russellian' propositions, which are mainly distinguished by not being mental event, but by being complexes out in the world.