On two interpretations of definite descriptions
The subject of the paper is the problem of interpretation of definite descriptions in sentences containing a definite description and a singular term. I argue that, in such contexts, definite descriptions can be interpreted, in the light of the Russellian analysis, in two ways: as singular terms and as individuating predicates. These interpretations demand to interpret the sentence copula as expressing the identity or the subject-predicate relation respectively. I criticize V. Surovtsev's claim that, in contexts specified, definite descriptions allow for the first interpretation only.
Keywords
определенная дескрипция, копула, сингулярный термин, предикат, тождество, Рассел, Суровцев, definite description, copula, singular term, predicate, identity, Russell, SurovtsevAuthors
Name | Organization | |
Borisov Evgeny Vasilyevich | Tomsk State University | evgeny_borisov@mail.ru |
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