Work · Analytic Philosophy
On Denoting
The present King of France is bald – definite descriptions analyzed.
Introduction
Russell’s essay, published in Mind in October 1905, deals with “denoting phrases” such as “a man”, “every man” or “the author of Waverley”. He argues that they have no meaning on their own: a sentence about “the present King of France” really says that there is exactly one such king and that he is bald, and since there is none, it is false rather than meaningless. This avoids both Meinong’s non-existent objects and Frege’s distinction between sense and reference. The analysis also explains how George IV could wish to know whether Scott was the author of Waverley without wishing to know whether Scott was Scott. Frank Ramsey called the theory a paradigm of philosophy; P. F. Strawson attacked it in 1950.
Connections
Criticizes
- On Sense and Reference1892 · Gottlob Frege
Taken up in
- A Modern Introduction to Logic1930 · Susan Stebbing
Criticized in
- On Referring1950 · P. F. Strawson
- Naming and Necessity1972 · Saul Kripke
More works by Bertrand Russell
Appears in
- Journey ‘The Linguistic Turn’ · Stop 2 of 10
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