Nondescriptive meaning and reference: an ideational semantics

New York: Oxford University Press (2005)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Wayne Davis presents a highly original approach to the foundations of semantics, showing how the so-called "expression" theory of meaning can handle names and other problematic cases of nondescriptive meaning. The fact that thoughts have parts ("ideas" or "concepts") is fundamental: Davis argues that like other unstructured words, names mean what they do because they are conventionally used to express atomic or basic ideas. In the process he shows that many pillars of contemporary philosophical semantics, from twin earth arguments to the necessity of identity, are unfounded.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 103,401

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Meaning, Expression and Thought.Wayne A. Davis - 2002 - New York: Cambridge University Press.
Meaning, expression, and thought.Wayne A. Davis - 2003 - New York: Cambridge University Press.
Structure and conventions. [REVIEW]Zoltán Gendler Szabó - 2008 - Philosophical Studies 137 (3):399 - 408.
Metaphysics and the meaning of life.Joshua Carl Davis - 2010 - Chicago: Three Brothers Press.
Expression, indication and showing what’s within.Mitchell S. Green - 2008 - Philosophical Studies 137 (3):389-398.
The ontology of meanings. [REVIEW]Mark Siebel - 2008 - Philosophical Studies 137 (3):417 - 426.
Naming and Indexicality.Gregory Bochner - 2021 - New York: Cambridge University Press.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
95 (#228,548)

6 months
2 (#1,294,541)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Wayne Davis
Georgetown University

Citations of this work

Minimal Fregeanism.Aidan Gray - 2022 - Mind 131 (522):429-458.
The double life of names.Gail Leckie - 2013 - Philosophical Studies 165 (3):1139-1160.
Propositions as Structured Cognitive Event‐Types.Wayne A. Davis - 2021 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 102 (3):665-692.

View all 31 citations / Add more citations

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references