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Existential generalization, logic: if an object that can be named, has a certain property, then there is at least one object with this property. See also universal generalization, universal instantiation.
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Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments.

 
Author Concept Summary/Quotes Sources

David Wiggins on Existential Generalization - Dictionary of Arguments

II 302
Existential Generalization/Wiggins: Modal logic Vs Existential generalization:

E.g. "Cicero is necessarily a human being" as "N Cicero is a human".

If we do not differentiate de re and de dicto here, then

(Human(Cicero)) l- English (Ex)(Human x).

(Notation: I- = provable).
Because Cicero is a name with secured sense.
Problem: if Cicero is a human, then there are humans. - That is, the context "---" must apply to any possible world (which is wrong).
>Possible worlds
, >Modal logic.
Then there is something that is necessarily a human

N((x)[(x = Cicero)>(x is a human)])

does not help, if the reason is the secured reference of the name, then the existence follows from the English meaning of the sentence (which is undesirable).
>Reference, >Existence.
Solution/Wiggins: we should distinguish de re/de dicto from the reach of "necessary" itself.
>de re, >de dicto, >Necessity.
II 303
Existential Generalization/EGWiggins: EG is ok for well-defined names - Existential generalization does not apply in any context of the form

N (---a---)

except for numbers.
>Numbers, >Names.

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Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments
The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition.

Wiggins I
D. Wiggins
Essays on Identity and Substance Oxford 2016

Wiggins II
David Wiggins
"The De Re ’Must’: A Note on the Logical Form of Essentialist Claims"
In
Truth and Meaning, G. Evans/J. McDowell, Oxford 1976


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