Work

Proper names as counterpart‐theoretic individual concepts

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Many philosophers and linguists have been attracted to counterpart theory as a framework for natural language semantics. I raise a novel problem for counterpart theory involving simple declarative sentences with proper names. To resolve this problem, counterpart theorists must introduce the notion of a counterpart in the semantics of the non‐modal fragment of language. I develop my preferred solution: a novel theory of proper names as counterpart‐theoretic individual concepts. The resulting view highlights a hitherto unnoticed fact: counterpart theorists should formulate their theory, not by modifying the standard semantics for modal operators, but by modifying the standard semantics for names and variables.

Source: Philosophy and Phenomenological Research

DOI: 10.1111/phpr.70005

Author: James Ravi Kirkpatrick

Institution: University of Oxford

Language: English

Topic: Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

Subfield: Language and Linguistics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,900

OpenAlex ID: W4408960677

FWCI:

Cites: 48

Cited by:

Related to: 10