This reader is intended both to introduce students to the philosophy of language via the theory of descriptions, and to provide scholars in analytic philosophy with ready access to some of the central contributions in this area.
Bertrand Russell's theory of definite descriptions sparked an ongoing debate concerning the proper logical and linguistic analysis of definite descriptions. While it is now widely acknowledged that, like the indexical expressions 'I', 'here', and 'now', definite descriptions in natural language are context-sensitive, there is significant disagreement as to the ultimate challenge this context-sensitivity poses to Russell's theory. This reader is intended both to introduce students to the philosophy of language via the theory of descriptions, and to provide scholars in analytic philosophy with ready access to some of the central contributions in this area. It includes classic works by Russell, Carnap, Strawson, Lambert, Donnellan, Grice, Peacocke, Kripke, Wettstein, Soames, Neale, and Schiffer.
Edited by:
Gary Ostertag (Nassau Community College) Imprint: MIT Press Country of Publication: United States Dimensions:
Height: 226mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 703g ISBN:9780262650496 ISBN 10: 0262650495 Series:Definite Descriptions Pages: 424 Publication Date:03 June 1998 Recommended Age: From 18 years Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
,
A / AS level
,
Further / Higher Education
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
Reviews for Definite Descriptions: A Reader
For philosophy of language classes and seminars that focus on the semantics and pragmatics of descriptions, this volume provides a very good set of core readings. --Mark Crimmins, Department of Philosophy, University of Michigan