Single Idea 15420

[catalogued under 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 4. De re / De dicto modality]

Full Idea

There is a problem over 'de re' modality (as contrasted with 'de dicto'), as in ∃x□x. What is meant by '"it is analytic that Px" is satisfied by a', given that analyticity is a notion that in the first instance applies to complete sentences?

Gist of Idea

De re modality seems to apply to objects a concept intended for sentences

Source

John P. Burgess (Philosophical Logic [2009], 3.9)

Book Reference

Burgess,John P.: 'Philosophical Logic' [Princeton 2009], p.68


A Reaction

This is Burgess's summary of one of Quine's original objections. The issue may be a distinction between whether the sentence is analytic, and what makes it analytic. The necessity of bachelors being unmarried makes that sentence analytic.