Wednesday 31 October 2012

Names (Again)

Reading: Chapter 4 of the Lycan

Questions:

1. Why say 'proper names are rigid'?

2. If proper names are rigid, what does that mean for the descriptive theory of names?

3. What is a natural kind?

4. Are natural kinds abbreviated descriptions? Why/why not?

5. What is Millianism?

6. How might the Millian solve Frege's puzzle about belief reports (Louis lane belives that superman can fly, but Louis Lane doesn't believe that Clarke Kent can fly)? Is this successful?

7. How might the Millian solve Frege's puzzle about negative existentials? Do you find it convincing?

8/ According to the Causa;l Theory of Reference what fixes the reference of a name/natural kind term?

9. Can the Causal Theory Of Reference deal with empty names?

10. What is Evan's Madagascar example and what is it supposed to show?

Sunday 14 October 2012

Definite Descriptions

Seminar 2: 17th October

Reading Chapter 2 ('Definite descriptions'), pp 9 -30 of Lycan textbook

Questions

1. Which of the following is are singular terms;

cup
the morning star
katie
trains
fat men
the seminar leader
thin men
that girl
mouse
I
house
she

What is a singular term?

2. 'Santa does not exisit' is true. Why is this a puzzle (see pg 11)?

3. What is Frehes puzzle about identity?

4. What is the problem of substitutivity?

5. What would Russell say are the 3 propositions which 'The seminar leader is a girl' has as its logical form? (See pg 13 and 14)

6.  What would Russell say are the 3 propositions which 'Santa is fat' has as its logical form? What would Russell say are the 3 propositions which 'Santa does not exist' has as its logical form?

7. With reference to your answer to question 6, why think that Russell solves Frege's puzzles?

8. What is objection 3 on pg 21-23 to Russell's theory? Do you find it convincing?

9. What is objection 4 on pg 23- 27 to Russell's theory? Do you find it convincing?

10. Can the Rusellian theory deal with anaphora?


Wednesday 10 October 2012

Seminar One - 12th October

Reading: Chap. One of Lycan

Questions:

Please think about the following questions. You do not need to write the answers down, but if you dont know the answers (especially to the first few questions) you may need to do the reading again or turn up to the seminar able to explain what it is that you dont understand.

1. Which of the following mean something;

A) xhjahduk

B) Anthony Everett

C) Bike Anthony his Everett tuesday green on rode

D) Anthony Everett rode his green bike on tuesday

2. What is the referential theory of meaning?

3. According to the above in virtue of what does 'Anthony Everett' have meaning?

4. What does 'Anthony Everett' denote?

5. What do the following denote:

A) 'philosophy'
B) 'red'
C) 'a'

Do any of these prove problematic for the referential theory of meaning?

6. Does the following mean anything:
Anthony
Katie
Red
Fat

How about 'Anthony and Katie are red and fat'?

7. What is Bradley's regress?

8. Do 'Clarke Kent' and 'Superman' mean the same thing?