The Theory of Descriptions: Russell and the Philosophy of Language (History of Analytic Philosophy)

Cover......Page 1
Series page......Page 2
Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 10
Introduction......Page 12
1.1 Denoting phrases......Page 20
1.2 Singular terms......Page 24
1.3 The theory of descriptions......Page 32
1.4 Scope......Page 34
1.5 The reception of the theory of descriptions......Page 48
2.1 Introduction......Page 56
2.2 The standard reading......Page 58
2.3 Russell’s alleged ‘Meinongianism’......Page 60
2.4 The 1903 theory of denoting......Page 63
2.5 Rejecting the Meinongian interpretation (I):empty denoting phrases......Page 66
2.6 Rejecting the Meinongian interpretation (II):empty proper names......Page 68
2.7 Rejecting the Meinongian interpretation (III):denying existence......Page 73
2.8 Conclusion......Page 82
3.1 The theory of descriptions and the theory of types......Page 84
3.2 The Gray’s Elegy Argument......Page 88
4.1 Introduction......Page 104
4.2 Descriptions as quantifiers and the LF hypothesis......Page 107
4.3 Incomplete symbols – the objections......Page 112
4.4 Incomplete symbols – responding to the objections......Page 115
4.5 Incomplete symbols and object independence......Page 122
4.6 Conclusion......Page 126
5.1 Complex demonstratives and the orthodox view......Page 128
5.2 Syntactic data against the orthodox view......Page 131
5.3 Semantic data against the orthodox view......Page 133
5.4 Quantificational analyses......Page 136
5.5 The semantics and pragmatics of ‘that’ and ‘the’......Page 147
6 Extending the Theory II: Indexicality......Page 151
6.1 Russell on egocentric particulars......Page 152
6.2 Contemporary work: Kaplan’s indexical semantics......Page 154
6.3 Problems for the contemporary view......Page 160
6.4 A Russellian response: the inner and the outer spaces of egocentric semantics......Page 164
6.5 The egocentric character of singular thought......Page 170
7 Russell and the Philosophy of Language......Page 179
Notes......Page 190
Bibliography......Page 201
Index......Page 208