Donnellan s causal theory of reference which excludes santa is the realists way of. We can ask how a definite description functions in a sentence. The distinction between referential and attributive uses. Keith donnellan, joseph almog, and paolo leonardi function is the referential use of definite description, in which the speaker uses it to refer to something. Donnellan argues that neither russell nor strawson is right. Definite descriptions, i shall argue, have two possible functions. In short, russell argued that the syntactic form of descriptions phrases that took the form of the aardvark and an aardvark is misleading, as it does not correlate their. Expressions cannot be used to mention, or to refer to, anything, any more than. Definite descriptions are ambiguous analysis oxford. Reference and definite descriptions by keith donnellan3. Pdf demonstrative reference and definite descriptions.
Attendees of reference and definite descriptions, by keith donnellan on sunday, april 8, 2018 in san francisco, ca. Donnellan as denoting and the referential use of definite descriptions is not recognized on russells view. Essays on reference, language, and mind keith donnellan. Donnellan on the referentialatributive distinction and russells. Keith donnellan, emeritus of ucla, is one of the major figures in 20th century philosophy of. A definite description is a denoting phrase in the form of the x where x is a nounphrase or a singular common noun. Russellianism and referential uses of descriptions. The relation between reference and definite descriptions and kripkes critique in speakers reference and semantic reference is a curious one. Attributive and referential uses of descriptions in. Synthese library monographs on epistemology, logic, methodology, philosophy of science, sociology of science and of knowledge, and on the mathematical methods of social and behavioral sciences, vol 40. Names refer, and there is a problem if the reference doesnt exist, which is why russell restricts.
Keith donnellan 1966 contrasted two uses of definite descriptions, the referential and the attributive. Donnellan references a disagreement between russell and strawson about the correct way to understand definite descriptions, that is constructions that might have the form the f. For russell, definite descriptions are included, such as the man, the president, the city. Demonstrative reference and definite descriptions article pdf available in philosophical studies 402. Johns in the area of definite descriptions, the essay develops a distinction between the referential use and the attributive use of a definite. Strawson in the area of definite descriptions, the essay develops a distinction between the referential. Reference and definite descriptions oxford scholarship. What would secure us necessary identity of reference.
I think it is of considerable constructive as well as critical. Strawson has shown russells theory of definite descriptions. Donnellan proper names and identifying descriptions i there is an extremely plausible principle about proper names that many philosophers up to the present have either assumed or argued for. He criticized bertrand russells theory of definite descriptions for. Reference and definite descriptions has been one of donnellans most influential essays. Furthermore, on russells view the type of expression that comes closest to performing the function of the referential use of definite descriptions turns out, as one might suspect, to be a. I will call it the principle of identifying descriptions. Denotation has to do with meaning, whereas reference has to do with things. Preliminaries in reference and definite descriptions 1966, keith donnellan argued that there were two different uses of definite descriptions. Keith donnellan in his 1966 paper reference and definite descriptions introduces the distinction between attributive and referential uses of definite descriptions. This disjunction is in their minds in the sense that they can deliver the answer for each possible world when it is described in sufficient detail, but it is implicit in the sense that the pattern that brings the various disjuncts together as part of the, possibly highly complex, disjunction may be one. Logic and pragmatics of attributive and referential.
A causal theory of reference is a theory of how terms acquire specific referents. Proper names and identifying descriptions springerlink. Strawson has shown russells theory of definite descriptions philosophy essay. The first function is the referential use of definite description, in which the speaker uses it to refer to something. Keith donnellan, reference and definite descriptions for example, there remains a difficulty that ludlow and segal have called the residue of the problem of misdescription. Keith donnellan, joseph almog, and paolo leonardi function is the referential use of definite description, in which the speaker uses it to refer. The passage you quote is from keith donnellans paper, reference and definite descriptions. Strawson in the area of definite descriptions, the essay develops a distinction between the referential use and the attributive use of a definite description. He stayed on at cornell, earning a master s and a phd in 1961. It is also known as russells theory of descriptions commonly abbreviated as rtd.
If their arguments are correct, then a completesemantic theory for sentences that containdefinite descriptions will have to provide. He argued that definite descriptions can be used in at least two different ways. The two uses differ in how they contribute to the truth conditions of an utterance containing them. A meetup event from the san francisco philosophy group, a. I will then finally attempt to engage in keith donnellans solution to consider. Russells theory is an application of the attributive use of definite description in speech acts, whilst strawsons argument against russell is on the basis of him not recognising the referential role of definite descriptions, however strawson neglects the attributive use and as such his theory is similarly problematic. The central contribution of this paper is the distinction between attributive and referential uses of descriptions.
Moreover, a definite description occurring in one and the same sentence may, on different occasions of its use, function in either way. And the definite description that ive tied to the name santa may be very different to the one youve tied to santa. The distinction between referential and attributive uses of descriptions shows that. This chapter discusses definite descriptions, arguing that they have two possible functions and that failure to deal with this duality of function obscures the genuine referring use of definite descriptions. A number of philosophers continue to argue, inthe spirit of keith donnellan s classic paper reference and definite descriptions, thatthere is more to the semantics of definitedescriptions than russells theory predicts. The intense debate that followed donnellan s paper focused on the contrast between donnellan and. Kripke has been read as vindicating russells theory of definite descriptions against donnellan s critique. Keith donnellan, reference and definite descriptions. He also taught at there for several years before moving to ucla in 1970, where he is currently emeritus professor of philosophy.
Donnellan, reference and definite descriptions philpapers. Keith donnellan is one of the major figures in 20th century philosophy of language and mind, a key member of the highly influential group that altered the course of philosophy of language and mind around 1970. Later in the chapter wettstein traces the evolving descriptions of the cognitive requirement for reference through donnellan s work, beginning with the relatively unanalyzed notion of having in mind in reference and definite descriptions and carrying through to the more intentionbased and historicallybased formulations of donnellan s later. Includes an introduction by joseph almog that explains the signficance and relevance of the essays for contemporary philosophy. Essays on reference, language, and mind keith donnellan, edited by joseph almog, and paolo leonardi. What is the connection between proper names and definite descriptions. Donnellan contributed to the philosophy of language, most notably to the analysis of proper names and definite descriptions. He spent most of his career at ucla but taught, before that, at cornell, where he also earned his phd. A speaker who uses a definite description referentially in an assertion uses the. The pragmatics of this distinction can not be discussed in isolation. Essays on reference, language, and mind keith donnellan, joseph almog, paolo leonardi on. However, that this is the correct reading of kripkes subtle and complex paper is dubious.
Reference and definite descriptions has been one of donnellan s most influential essays. One could say if aristotle had died young, he would never have taught alexander the great. Publishes keith donnellan s influential essays for the first time in book form. Keith donnellan according to keith donnellan, there are two distinct ways we may use a definite description such as the current emperor of germany is gray, and thus makes his distinction between the referential and the attributive use of a definite description. One illustration of it is in this passage from strawsons individuals. Speakers reference and semantic reference saul kripke 1 am going to discuss some issues inspired by a wellknown paper of keith donnellan, reference and definite descriptions, but the interestto meof the contrast mentioned in my title goes beyond donnellan s paper.
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