Referring and describing Three essays on the meaning and use of definite descriptions and complex demonstratives
Item
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Title
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Referring and describing Three essays on the meaning and use of definite descriptions and complex demonstratives
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:d1154797fe22:11057
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identifier
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10865
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Creator
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Amaral, Felipe S.,
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Contributor
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Michael Devitt
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Date
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2010
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Philosophy | Linguistics | Complex Demonstratives | Definite Descriptions | Descriptive Designators | Nominal Complexes | Polysemy | Referential-Attributive
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Abstract
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This dissertation is composed of three independent essays, and it investigates the meaning and use of definite descriptions and complex demonstratives and the form of complex demonstratives. In the first essay, I tackle the referential-attributive status of definite descriptions. I argue that these expressions are referential-attributive ambiguous in the sense of semantic polysemy---as opposed to homonymy or pragmatic polysemy. In the second essay, I turn to complex demonstratives and argue on methodological grounds that they are non-quantificational terms that refer and describe, descriptive designators I dub them. I also provide arguments against the idea that demonstratives, from a syntactic point of view, are articles in disguise. And in the third essay, I argue against 'direct reference' theorists and quantificationalists alike, claiming that complex demonstratives and referential descriptions are descriptive designators. This hypothesis provides the simplest explanation of the full semantic significance of nominals in both expressions.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Philosophy
