Abstract

1. In his paper “On Denoting” Russell points out what he calls a puzzle every satisfactory theory of denoting will have to solve. Of the three sentences George IV. wished to know whether Scott was the author of WaverleyScott is the author of WaverleyGeorge IV. wished to know whether Scott was Scott the first two, and, are presumably true, while the third,, is presumably false. The reason given for considering this arrangement of truth values a puzzle is that the ‘is’ in signifies identity; that the proper name ‘Scott’ and the descriptive phrase ‘the author of Waverley’ denote the same object; and that, therefore, if the latter is replaced by the former in the true sentence, the resulting sentence,, should again be true. Yet is false, or, as one also says, the context considered is nonextensional with respect to this replacement.