Lecture � Logic & Language IIIb

Greg Detre

Prof Edgington

Friday, 19 May, 2000

Philosophy Library lecture room

scope cont.

Russellian theory - making a sentence containing a definite description (usually formed with conjunctive quantified clauses) predicts scope distinctions, which we find

rigid designator � same person in all possible situations

non-rigid � can designate different people in different situations

 

 

1.       basically Russellian meaning � explain referential use

2.      basically referential � explain attributive use

3.       ambiguity: the/the*

4.       single �thing� meaning from which (+ context) both uses can be explained

Kaplan (character + content)

 

 

necessity/contingent

contingent = true, but could have been false

there is (or was) a possible situation in which P is false

necessary truth = true, and can only be true

a priori/a posteriori

a priori � known not on the basis of experience

a posteriori can (only be) known on the basis of experience

analytic/synthetic

analytic = reducible to a logical truth by substitution of synonyms for synonyms

is true solely in virtue of its meaning

synthetic =