Student ID: 1330882
Paper 1: Russell and Strawson
Introduction
In this paper, I will compare and contrast Russell’s and Strawson’s accounts on definite descriptions, which are phrases of the form “the X” and denote some object. I will first reconstruct Russell’s account, which argues that that all definite descriptions are in reality a series of propositional statements and claims. I will then reconstruct Strawson’s account and claim that Russell’s account is flawed because it focuses exclusively on the meaning of sentences, ignoring their use, and because Russell’s theory of description fails to fully describe how definite descriptions can be used to refer. Finally, I will argue that …
Russell’s account of definite descriptions Russell first introduces and explores the concept of a “denoting phrase” and a “definite description” in is 1905 essay, On Denoting. Russell defines a “denoting phrase” as a phrase which …show more content…
Russell further asserts that it is possible to break apart any definite description into a series of similar claims which can then be substituted into each other to form a series of propositions of arbitrary complexity (Descriptions 176). As a consequent of this treatment, Russell is able to easily to distinguish the phrases such as “Wales is Wales” from “Wales is the founder of Wikipedia” – the former is a logical statement of the form “P=P” whereas the second is a series of assertions and claims that happen to evaluate to true (Descriptions 175). Similarly, the sentence “The headmaster of Hogwarts is old” is easily resolvable – because the headmaster of Hogwarts does not exist, the existence claim is violated so the sentence evaluates to false instead of remaining in some indeterminate state (Descriptions 177).
Strawson’s account of definite descriptions and critique of
Paper 1: Russell and Strawson
Introduction
In this paper, I will compare and contrast Russell’s and Strawson’s accounts on definite descriptions, which are phrases of the form “the X” and denote some object. I will first reconstruct Russell’s account, which argues that that all definite descriptions are in reality a series of propositional statements and claims. I will then reconstruct Strawson’s account and claim that Russell’s account is flawed because it focuses exclusively on the meaning of sentences, ignoring their use, and because Russell’s theory of description fails to fully describe how definite descriptions can be used to refer. Finally, I will argue that …
Russell’s account of definite descriptions Russell first introduces and explores the concept of a “denoting phrase” and a “definite description” in is 1905 essay, On Denoting. Russell defines a “denoting phrase” as a phrase which …show more content…
Russell further asserts that it is possible to break apart any definite description into a series of similar claims which can then be substituted into each other to form a series of propositions of arbitrary complexity (Descriptions 176). As a consequent of this treatment, Russell is able to easily to distinguish the phrases such as “Wales is Wales” from “Wales is the founder of Wikipedia” – the former is a logical statement of the form “P=P” whereas the second is a series of assertions and claims that happen to evaluate to true (Descriptions 175). Similarly, the sentence “The headmaster of Hogwarts is old” is easily resolvable – because the headmaster of Hogwarts does not exist, the existence claim is violated so the sentence evaluates to false instead of remaining in some indeterminate state (Descriptions 177).
Strawson’s account of definite descriptions and critique of