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    Kripke's modal argument establishes that proper names are... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→Two sentences expressing the same proposition must always have the same reference.

    Kripke's modal argument establishes that proper names are rigid designators, referring to the same object across all possible worlds regardless of descriptive content.

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    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Names like 'Nixon' pick out the same individual in all possible worlds where that person exists, independent of any defining descriptions.
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    • 2.Intuitions about counterfactual identity support rigidity: we say 'if Nixon had lost, he would still be Nixon,' not 'someone else would be.'
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    • 3.Descriptive theories of names create intractable problems of circular definition and fail to explain how names refer to non-existent or misconceived objects.
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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
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    • 1.Rigid designation assumes a determinate identity across worlds, but our criteria for cross-world identity may be conventional or epistemically indeterminate.
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    • 2.Names acquire their reference partly through historical-causal chains embedded in social practices, which themselves may vary across possible worlds.
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    • 3.The argument conflates semantic rigidity (how we use names) with metaphysical rigidity (how objects persist), which may not align in all cases.
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    Connections

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    Truth & Knowledge1 linkedPhilosophy of Language1 linked

    Related

    Descriptive theories of names create intractable problems of circular definition...Intuitions about counterfactual identity support rigidity: we say 'if Nixon had ...Names acquire their reference partly through historical-causal chains embedded i...Names like 'Nixon' pick out the same individual in all possible worlds where tha...
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    Rigid designation assumes a determinate identity across worlds, but our criteria...The argument conflates semantic rigidity (how we use names) with metaphysical ri...Two sentences expressing the same proposition must always have the same referenc...

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    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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    1 edit