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    Terms like 'individual' should be considered singular exp... — Carmelics
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    Home/Philosophy of Language
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    Terms like 'individual' should be considered singular expressions, specifically 'range-narrowed' expressions like 'this man'.

    Philosophy of Language
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    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Terms like 'individual' identify a singular referent as a member of a given set of individuals.
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    • 2.A term like 'individual' presupposes a general concept (that of being), the range of which is narrowed to a unique object among beings by an act of our intellect.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against 1 of 2
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    • 1.Genuine singular expressions presuppose a fixed, determinate referent independent of contextual narrowing operations.
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    • 2.Terms like 'individual' function as sortal predicates applicable across indefinitely many entities, not as contextually bound demonstratives.
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    • 3.A term that requires an additional act of intellect to achieve singular reference is not itself singular but a general term with contextual supplementation.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
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    • 1.Frege's distinction between concept and object establishes that singular terms must secure determinate reference through sense alone, without relying on set-membership presuppositions.
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    • 2.A 'range-narrowed' expression that depends on a prior domain of quantification behaves logically as a bound variable, not a genuine singular term like a proper name or demonstrative.
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    Topics

    Philosophy of Language

    Connections

    1 topic

    Modality & Possibility1 linked

    Related

    A 'range-narrowed' expression that depends on a prior domain of quantification b...A term like 'individual' presupposes a general concept (that of being), the rang...A term that requires an additional act of intellect to achieve singular referenc...Frege's distinction between concept and object establishes that singular terms m...
    +3 moreShow less
    Genuine singular expressions presuppose a fixed, determinate referent independen...Terms like 'individual' function as sortal predicates applicable across indefini...Terms like 'individual' identify a singular referent as a member of a given set ...

    Similar

    Alyngton's analysis of terms like 'individual' as range-narrowed singu...88%If 'an individual man' were a singular term (as Alyngton's theory requ...82%The syntagm 'an individual man' (homo singularis) is not a singular te...81%The syntagm 'an individual man' does not function as a singular term s...81%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: sharpe
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    The fourth kind of general term deserves particular attention, since it is connected with Sharpe’s solution to the question of the semantic and ontological status of terms of second intention like ‘individual’ or ‘singular. This was a highly controversial question in Oxford at the end of the 14th century. The most common explanation was that proposed by Robert Alyngton, a fellow of Queen’s College in the 1380s. According to Alyngton, terms like ‘individual’ have to be considered singular express
    Extraction notes

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    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit