Keith Donnellan's reference and definite description revisited
Abstract
The author of this study revisits and re-examines Keith Donnellan's 1966 reference and definite description. According to Donnellan, the definite description can be used in two ways: attributively and referentially. The former asserts the subject being discussed, whereas the latter refers to the issue a speaker intends to discuss. When a definite description is employed in a referential manner, the speaker implies the existence of a specific someone or thing that fits the description. In the attributive usage of definite descriptions, no such presupposition exists. Russell and Strawson both failed to recognize the dual nature of the roles of definite descriptions, and this study re-examines their errors.
How to Cite This Article
Jan Enviro A Quiambao (2022). Keith Donnellan's reference and definite description revisited . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation (IJMRGE), 3(3), 194-196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/anfo.2022.3.3.13