Expertise and Intuitions about Reference

Abstract

Read online

Many philosophers hold that experts’ semantic intuitions are more reliable and provide better evidence than lay people’s intuitions—a thesis commonly called “the Expertise Defense.” Focusing on the intuitions about the reference of proper names, this article critically assesses the Expertise Defense.

Keywords

• intuitions
• reference
• descriptivism
• causal-historical theories
• Kripke
• expertise
• bias
• experimental philosophy