| Title: | Situations and individuals |
| Author: | Elbourne, Paul, 1971- |
| Other Contributors: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy. |
| Advisor: | Irene Heim. |
| Department: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy. |
| Publisher: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Issue Date: | 2002 |
| Abstract: | I argue that definite descriptions, pronouns and proper names share one common syntax and semantics, basically that of definite descriptions. E-type pronouns are argued to be definite articles that take NP complements elided in the phonology; referential and bound variable pronouns are analyzed as definite articles taking indices as phonologically null complements. Proper names are shown to have previously undetected E-type and bound readings, meaning that they too are best regarded as definite descriptions. It is shown that this position has deleterious consequences for the philosophical theories of direct reference and rigid designation. |
| Description: |
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy, 2002. Includes bibliographical references (p. 220-233). |
| URI: |
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/8157
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8157 |
| Keywords: | Linguistics and Philosophy. |
| Files | Size | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Preview, non-printable (open to all) | 17.22Mb | application/pdf |
| Full printable version (MIT only) | 17.22Mb | application/pdf |