The Modal Argument against Nominal Description Theory

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Authors

RACLAVSKÝ Jiří

Year of publication 2017
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Kriterion - Journal of Philosophy
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

Citation
Web https://doi.org/10.1515/krt-2017-310106
Field Philosophy and religion
Keywords Nominal Description Theory; modal argument; Millianism
Description The paper examines Loar’s and Bach’s defence of Nominal Description Theory against Kripkean Modal Argument (MA). Using formal tools of hyperintensional logic, I discriminate three kinds of nominal description which are possible substitutes for a proper name, thus considering various readings of the MA. On its natural understanding, the MA is valid – contrary to what Loar and Bach say. On the other hand, the soundness of the MA remains doubtful, as pointed out already by Loar and Bach.
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