We want to know precisely why a pronoun looks like a definite description. Donnellan compared his notion of the referential use of definite descriptions. If you take meanings to be representational, then you will look for what it is they represent. 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. Descriptions reference and definite descriptions has been one of donnellan s most influential essays. Reference and definite descriptions oxford scholarship. From longman dictionary of contemporary english inwith reference to something inwith reference to something formal connected with used to say what you are writing or talking about, especially in business letters i am writing to you in reference to the job opening in your department. Let us say that the name refers to, and the description, as used in this context, describes, or denotes. Johns in the area of definite descriptions, the essay develops a distinction between the referential use and the attributive use of a definite. Sense, denotation and reference by jessica gruet on prezi. It is widely acknowledged that donnellan s distinction 7 be tween referential and attributive uses of definite descriptions must be taken into account in any theory of reference.
In many cases, that would appear to be non linguistic parts of the world. Reference and definite descriptions the philosophical. Indefinite generic nps use an indefinite article with a singular noun. Definite description definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. Donnellan on referential and attributive descriptions. In order to address this question, we need firstly to describe what we mean by descriptions, then to distinguish between the referential and attributive uses, and finally. And if jones is, indeed, insane, the speaker has said something true. Constant reference this simply refers to the same thing. The dative in this construction is often called the dative of advantage or disadvantage, 1 as denoting the person or thing for whose benefit or to whose prejudice the action is performed.
Both kinds of uses of definite descriptions involve denotationa definite description denotes an entity if that entity fits the description uniquely. The advantage of this interpretation of donnellan is that it clearly does lead to a conflict with russell. This suggests a strong interpretation of donnellans view, which is basically the ambiguity view sketched above. I argue that the argument from inference is basically wrong. Uses of definite descriptions and russells theory received 3 june, 1976 in reference and definite descriptions, keith donnellan makes a distinction between two uses of definite descriptions. A reader begins with three of russells own presentations of his theory, includes not only the classics by strawson, donnellan and kripke, but also wellchosen papers from carnap, grice, lambert, peacocke, soame and wettstein, and ends with pieces by neale and schiffer that take the reader to the leading edge of current. A query about the use of generic reference with nationalities. I am andrea bianchi, the author of the article you are reading. Generic and definite i know that the generic plural noun is used to refer to a group or all members of a class. Demonstrative reference and definite descriptions received 6 october, 1980 the fregean or description picture of singular reference, according to which an object is referred to in virtue of its unique possession of the properties associated with the. Attributive and referential uses of descriptions in. Readings in the philosophy of language englewood cliffs, 1971, pp. Donnellan distinguishes between two uses of definite descriptions.
I argue for a referential view of definite descriptions. The first function is the referential use of definite description, in which the speaker uses it. Jan 25, 2005 if it were the case that definite descriptions were to be understood as a kind of name, and names were understood as mere proxies for their bearers, then it may seem that we could give an account of these sentences using the elementary theory of reference sketched above. Definition of with reference to someone or something in the idioms dictionary. The distinction between referential and attributive uses of descriptions shows that russells theory of descriptions is wrong. This reader is intended both to introduce students to the philosophy. Donnellan philosophy 565 philosophy of language prof. Louis san francisco auckland bogota hamburg london madrid mexico city milan montreal new delhi panama city paris sao paulo singapore sydney tokyo toronto. The dative of purpose of concrete nouns is used in prose in a few military expressions, and with freedom in poetry. The ambiguity of definite descriptions 79 of the former sort are called complete definite descriptions, while those of the latter sort are called incomplete. Donnellan s target donnellan distinguishes between two uses of definite descriptions. Definite descriptions and semantic memory 79 if the distinction between direct and indirect uses of names and definite descriptions has psychological reality, then one would expect a particular pattern of confusions in a recognition task.
Definite descriptions paperback paul elbourne oxford. This article discusses the argument from inference raised against the view that definite descriptions are semantically referring expressions. Strawson on the other hand attempts to offer an improved theory in regard to ordinary language use however, the counterexamples he provides are not intuitive uses of language. See everett and hofweber and french and wettstein for papers on these general issues, and see zaltafor a robust defense of the nonexistent object strategy. Bertrand russells theory of definite descriptions sparked an ongoing debate concerning the proper logical and linguistic analysis of definite descriptions. Donnellan on referential and attributive descriptions date. If i am telling the truth, as i invite you to believe, i am related in a peculiar way to two different expressions, a proper name andrea and a definite description the author of the article you are reading. Strawson in the area of definite descriptions, the essay develops a distinction between the referential use and the attributive use of a definite description. Donnellan s genuine reference, and not by way of a description, the speaker must stand in a special epistemological relation to the named individual. Russell provides a scientific approach to analysing definite descriptions which generally provides a sufficient measure for reference whilst still encompassing difficulties.
In naming and necessity, kripke states that donnellan s remarks about reference have little to do with semantics or truth conditions, though they may be relevant to a. Definite reference increases thematic integration for semantically related sentences devilliers, 1974. There is not yet agreement, however, as to where the distinction fits in a theoretical model of definite noun phrases. Paul elbourne presents the first fullyargued defence of the fregean view. With reference to someone or something idioms by the free. Mar 10, 2020 a guide to resources for study and research in linguistics. Donnellan reference and definite descriptions pdf definite descriptions, i shall argue, have two possible functions. Pdf definite descriptions, presuppositions and reference.
Kripke is skeptical of donnellan s claim to have refuted russells theory of definite descriptions. 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. Come and experience your torrent treasure chest right here. A speaker who uses a definite description referentially in an assertion uses the description to enable his audience to pick out whom or what he is talking about and states something about that person or thing donnellan, 285.
In effect, singular definite descriptions are just special cases of sharvys generalized theory of descriptions. Data on the various reservoirs included in this memorandum were collected from a variety of sources. His aim, however, is not to defend russells theory of descriptions. Since keith donnellan s essay reference and definite descriptions 4 was published, providing the proper treatment of the definite article involves taking a stand on the effect context has on semantic content and, consequently, on where to draw the boundary dividing semantics roughly, the study of the contextinvariant meanings linguistic. Definite descriptions and the argument from inference. Abderrahim dear sir madam, with reference to the subject matter at this link, there are many issues to propose in this regard. Two recognition and two recall studies demonstrated that, if anything, indefinite reference increases linguistic integration effects, as measured by existing. Reference and definite descriptions two uses of descriptions donnellan argues that neither russell nor strawson is right. Philosophy 565 donnellan, reference and definite descriptions. 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.
However, that this is the correct reading of kripkes subtle and complex paper is dubious. According to the view that i advocate, definite descriptions are variables. Definite descriptions, i shall argue, have two possible functions. Donnellans target donnellan distinguishes between two uses of definite descriptions. The main source to determine what facilities would be included was a search of the. Dative of reference dickinson college commentaries.
In this paper, he challenges the canonical view, due to bertrand russell, about definite descriptions. It differs from the specific reference, where the web is only known in the context of the speaker and not for the reader. This chapter discusses some issues inspired by a wellknown paper of keith donnellan, reference and definite descriptions. According to keith donnellan, there are two distinct ways we may use a definite description such as the current emperor of kentucky is gray, and thus makes his distinction between the referential and the attributive use of a definite description. Plane of reference definition of plane of reference by the. Grice is not sure that he is wholly sympathetic towards the conclusions which donnellan draws from the existence of the distinction between what donnellan had. According to this argument, the indicated view is inadequate since it evaluates some invalid inferences with definite descriptions as valid and vice versa. The dative often depends, not on any particular word, but on the general meaning of the sentence dative of reference. On the one hand, donnellan claims that there are two different analyses of definite descriptions. Definite description definition of definite description at.
Note that the last sentence is ungrammatical, while these three are all fine. Donnellans work is mainly in the philosophy of language, with an emphasis on the connections between semantics and pragmatics. 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 logical and. In reference to how is in reference to abbreviated. Synonyms for definite at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. 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 they cannot state. The first one concerns the functioning of definite descriptions, and the second one the nature of singular reference. They are used to refer to what a speaker wishes to talk about, but they are also used quite differently. This book argues that definite descriptions the table, the king of france refer to individuals, as gottlob frege claimed. Moreover, a definite description occurring in one and the same. Written in response to the work of bertrand russell and p. Preliminaries in reference and definite descriptions 1966, keith donnellan argued that there were two different uses of definite descriptions. Russell in the classic paper on denoting treats them as being equivalent to the one and only thing that is f. Reference and definite descriptions1 i definite descriptions, i shall argue, have two possible func tions.
Plane of reference synonyms, plane of reference pronunciation, plane of reference translation, english dictionary definition of plane of reference. Pdf reference and definite descriptions semantic scholar. And, in spite of their opposition, they share some false assumptions in common. Variable reference this refers to the different type of the object. His most influential work was his 1966 paper reference and definite descriptions. Keith donnellan, joseph almog, and paolo leonardi function is the referential use of definite description, in. In naming and necessity, kripke states that donnellans remarks about reference have little to do with semantics or truth conditions, though they may be relevant to a theory of speec hacts naming and n. When definite descriptions are used referentially, they are used as a tool to pinpoint a. According to brinton, russells theory holds for such complete definite descriptions. Reference a guide to linguistics resources research.
Definition of in reference to in the idioms dictionary. The distinction between referential and attributive uses. Direct reference and definite descriptions genoveva marti abstract according to donnellan the characteristic mark of a referential use of a definite description is the fact that it can be used to pick out an individual that does not satisfy the attributes in the description. Each is partly right, because each focuses on just one of two different uses of definite descriptions. The theory of descriptions is the philosopher bertrand russells most significant contribution to the philosophy of language. Definite generic nps use a definite article with a singular noun. Synonyms for in definite at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Donnellan contributed to the philosophy of language, notably to the analysis of proper names and definite descriptions. I will call the two uses of definite descriptions i have in mind the attributive use and the referential use. Strawson has shown russells theory of definite descriptions.
Clare batty donnellan, reference and definite descriptions 1. Donnellan s distinctionkripkes test marga reimer 1. This web refers to the world wide web, a specific web in the world. In most of them, he introduces and defends two major, related views in the theory of reference. At the syntactic level, they contribute a free variable that must be assigned a referent in order for the sentence to be truth evaluable. The relation between reference and definite descriptions and kripkes critique in speakers reference and semantic reference is a curious one. With reference to definition of with reference to by. Donnellan s recently published essays on reference, language, and mind 2012 collect his seminal papers from 1960s and 1970s. This apparently simple conclusion flies in the face of philosophical orthodoxy, which incorporates bertrand russells theory that definite descriptions are devices of quantification. Donnellan s paper claims to give decisive objections both to russells theory of definite descriptions taken as a theory about english and to strawsons. Sense, denotation and reference jess gruet types of reference there are two types of reference. A deflector mountable on the saw blade guard of a portable rotary saw for deflecting sawdust, splinters and other cuttings. This reader is intended both to introduce students to the philosophy of language via the theory of descriptions, and to provide scholars in analytic philosophy with ready access to some of the central contributions in this area. But then why not say the same about donnellans cases.
The definite descriptions the person in space and the senator from ohio are improper because the noun phrase x applies to more than one thing, and the definite descriptions the first man on mars and the senator from some country are improper because x applies to nothing. Moreover, a definite description occurring in one and the same sentence may, on different occasions of its use, function in either way. It is also known as russells theory of descriptions commonly abbreviated as rtd. Reference and definite descriptions has been one of donnellans most influential essays. Definite descriptions and semantic memory sciencedirect. With reference to definition is about or concerning something or someone. Kripke has been read as vindicating russells theory of definite descriptions against donnellan s critique. Referring donnellan uses russells definition of denoting. Keith donnellan, reference and definite descriptions. Moreover, a definite description occurring in one and the same sentence may. An international encyclopedia which documents and surveys the entire complex of translation as well as the operations and phenomena associated with it. The role of some definite references in linguistic integration. Therefore, definite reference should increase linguistic integration in the bransfordfranks integrated recognition paradigm. A view of this sort has recently been proposed by alan brinton in 11.