Fixing Reference

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Linguistics, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy
Cover of the book Fixing Reference by Imogen Dickie, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Imogen Dickie ISBN: 9780191072215
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: December 3, 2015
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Imogen Dickie
ISBN: 9780191072215
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: December 3, 2015
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Imogen Dickie develops an account of aboutness-fixing for thoughts about ordinary objects, and of reference-fixing for the singular terms we use to express them. Extant discussions of this topic tread a weary path through descriptivist proposals, causalist alternatives, and attempts to combine the most attractive elements of each. The account developed here is a new beginning. It starts with two basic principles. The first connects aboutness and truth: a belief is about the object upon whose properties its truth or falsity depends. The second connects truth and justification: justification is truth conducive; in general and allowing exceptions, a subject whose beliefs are justified will be unlucky if they are not true, and not merely lucky if they are. These principles—one connecting aboutness and truth; the other truth and justification—combine to yield a third principle connecting aboutness and justification: a body of beliefs is about the object upon which its associated means of justification converges; the object whose properties a subject justifying beliefs in this way will be unlucky to get wrong and not merely luck to get right. The first part of the book proves a precise version of this principle. Its remaining chapters use the principle to explain how the relations to objects that enable us to think about them—perceptual attention; understanding of proper names; grasp of descriptions—do their aboutness-fixing and thought-enabling work. The book includes discussions of the nature of singular thought and the relation between thought and consciousness.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Imogen Dickie develops an account of aboutness-fixing for thoughts about ordinary objects, and of reference-fixing for the singular terms we use to express them. Extant discussions of this topic tread a weary path through descriptivist proposals, causalist alternatives, and attempts to combine the most attractive elements of each. The account developed here is a new beginning. It starts with two basic principles. The first connects aboutness and truth: a belief is about the object upon whose properties its truth or falsity depends. The second connects truth and justification: justification is truth conducive; in general and allowing exceptions, a subject whose beliefs are justified will be unlucky if they are not true, and not merely lucky if they are. These principles—one connecting aboutness and truth; the other truth and justification—combine to yield a third principle connecting aboutness and justification: a body of beliefs is about the object upon which its associated means of justification converges; the object whose properties a subject justifying beliefs in this way will be unlucky to get wrong and not merely luck to get right. The first part of the book proves a precise version of this principle. Its remaining chapters use the principle to explain how the relations to objects that enable us to think about them—perceptual attention; understanding of proper names; grasp of descriptions—do their aboutness-fixing and thought-enabling work. The book includes discussions of the nature of singular thought and the relation between thought and consciousness.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Blackstone's Guide to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book An Introduction to Ecological Genomics by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Gaining Control by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Textbook of Evolutionary Psychiatry by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of International Investment Law by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book The Broken Voice by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Economics for Competition Lawyers by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Satires and Epistles by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book From Elvish to Klingon by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book The Atmosphere: A Very Short Introduction by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Rivers: A Very Short Introduction by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Agamemnon in Performance 458 BC to AD 2004 by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book 50 Visions of Mathematics by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Geology: A Very Short Introduction by Imogen Dickie
Cover of the book Taking Chances by Imogen Dickie
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy