Concept
Mediated reference theory
Overview
A mediated reference theory (also indirect reference theory) is any semantic theory that posits that words refer to something in the external world, but insists that there is more to the meaning of a name than simply the object to which it refers. It thus stands opposed to direct reference theory. Gottlob Frege is a well-known advocate of mediated reference theories. Similar theories were widely held in the middle of the twentieth century by philosophers such as Peter Strawson and John Searle.
Saul Kripke, a proponent of direct reference theory, in his Naming and Necessity dubbed mediated reference theory the Frege–Russell view and criticized it. Subsequent scholarship refuted the claim that Bertrand Russell's views on reference theory were the same as Frege's, since Russell was also a proponent of direct reference theory.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
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Hence either there can be only one thing in the universe, or, if there are many things, they cannot possibly interact in any way, since any interaction would be a relation, and relations are impossible. The first of these views, advocated by Spinoza and held in our own day by Bradley and many other philosophers, is called _monism_; the second, advocated by Leibniz but not very common nowadays, is called _monadism_…
Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy
States what Mediated reference theory is; the author is tied to Mediated reference theory in the knowledge graph.
(1) The first theory to be examined is the view that the differentia of belief consists in its causal efficacy I do not wish to make any author responsible for this theory: I wish merely to develop it hypothetically so that we may judge of its tenability. We defined the meaning of an image or word by causal efficacy, namely by associations: an image or word acquires meaning, we said, through having the same…
Bertrand Russell, The Analysis of Mind
States what Mediated reference theory is; the author is tied to Mediated reference theory in the knowledge graph.
But though we are led after this manner, by the natural propensity of the imagination, to ascribe a continued existence to those sensible objects or perceptions, which we find to resemble each other in their interrupted appearance; yet a very little reflection and philosophy is sufficient to make us perceive the fallacy of that opinion. I have already observed, that there is an intimate connexion betwixt those two…
David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature
Close in meaning to Mediated reference theory; the term itself is not named.
Philosophers who discussed Mediated reference theory
Related ideas
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Outline of philosophy.
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