The King of France Is, In Fact, Bald

Natural Language Semantics 8 (4):291-295 (2000)
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Abstract

According to current theories, sentences with definite descriptions that fail to refer are either false or lack a truth value; but they cannot be true. However, I present examples where such sentences are, in fact, judged true. I propose that a definite description may be accommodated as a conditional, and that, in such cases, it is precisely the failure to refer that makes the sentence true

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Citations of this work

On proper presupposition.Julia Zakkou - 2023 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 108 (2):338-359.

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References found in this work

Logic and Conversation.H. P. Grice - 1975 - In Donald Davidson & Gilbert Harman (eds.), The Logic of Grammar. Encino, CA: pp. 64-75.
On Denoting.Bertrand Russell - 2005 - Mind 114 (456):873 - 887.
On referring.Peter F. Strawson - 1950 - Mind 59 (235):320-344.
Scorekeeping in a Language Game.David Lewis - 1979 - Journal of Philosophical Logic 8 (3):339.

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