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Philosophy Dictionary of Arguments
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Description: A. Characterization of singular objects or events instead of giving a name. As opposed to names descriptions are not rigid, i.e. they may refer to different objects in different worlds. - B. Linguistic form for attributing predicates according to the perceptions of objects. See also rigidity, theory of descriptions._____________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
Hartry Field on Descriptions - Dictionary of Arguments
II 18
Description/acquaintance/Russell/Field: according to Russell: "analytical connection" between description and acquaintance.
>Acquaintance.
Problem/FieldVsRussell: this is circular, because the reference of descriptions is explained by reference to their parts - they will include names.
>Proper names.
RussellVsTradition: you can only give a lecture on something that can be defined from the logically basic concepts. - E.g. "If Cicero existed, then he denounced Catiline".
FieldVsRussell: that makes contingent biographical characteristics become necessary.
>Contingency, >Necessity, >Facts._____________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.
Field I
H. Field
Realism, Mathematics and Modality Oxford New York 1989
Field II
H. Field
Truth and the Absence of Fact Oxford New York 2001
Field III
H. Field
Science without numbers Princeton New Jersey 1980
Field IV
Hartry Field
"Realism and Relativism", The Journal of Philosophy, 76 (1982), pp. 553-67
In
Theories of Truth, Paul Horwich, Aldershot 1994
Ed. Martin Schulz, access date 2024-03-28