Concept

Direct reference theory

Overview

theory of language that claims that the meaning of a word or expression lies in what it points out in the world

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Philosophers who discussed Direct reference theory

• David Kaplan (philosopher)
• David Chalmers
• Philip Kitcher
• Ruth Barcan Marcus
• Saul Kripke

Related ideas

• Naming and Necessity
• Philosophy
• John Stuart Mill
• Analytic philosophy
• Synthese
• Ludwig Wittgenstein
• Logical positivism
• Referent
• A System of Logic
• Philosophical Investigations
• Denotation
• Willard Van Orman Quine
• Ruth Barcan Marcus
• Descriptivist theory of names
• Logical truth
• Bertrand Russell
• Saul Kripke
• Gottlob Frege
• Connotation
• Rigid designator
• Possible world
• Mediated reference theory
• Widow

Opposing perspectives

• Mediated reference theory

Place in the tradition

Part of Outline of philosophy.

Narrower topics:

• A System of Logic
• Connotation
• Widow

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