First-Order Logic and Some Existential Sentences

Disputatio 4 (31):255-270 (2011)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

‘Quantified pure existentials’ are sentences (e.g., ‘Some things do not exist’) which meet these conditions: (i) the verb EXIST is contained in, and is, apart from quantificational BE, the only full (as against auxiliary) verb in the sentence; (ii) no (other) logical predicate features in the sentence; (iii) no name or other sub-sentential referring expression features in the sentence; (iv) the sentence contains a quantifier that is not an occurrence of EXIST. Colin McGinn and Rod Girle have alleged that standard first-order logic cannot adequately deal with some such existentials. The article defends the view that it can.

Categories

Keywords

Reprint years

DOI

10.2478/disp-2011-0012

Links

PhilArchive

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

My notes

Similar books and articles

Existence and Quantification Reconsidered.Tim Crane - 2012 - In Tuomas Tahko (ed.), Contemporary Aristotelian Metaphysics. Cambridge: pp. 44-65.
On quantifying into predicate position: Steps towards a new (tralist) perspective.Crispin Wright - 2007 - In Mary Leng, Alexander Paseau & Michael Potter (eds.), Mathematical Knowledge. Oxford University Press. pp. 150--74.
Can negative existentials be referentially vindicated?Alberto Voltolini - 1994 - Lingua E Stile 29:397-419.
McGinn on Non-Existent Objects and Reducing Modality.Philip Bricker - 2004 - Philosophical Studies 118 (3):439-451.
Non‐Standard Neutral Free Logic, Empty Names and Negative Existentials.Dolf Rami - manuscript
Logic and Existence [Corrected Portion of an Article appearing in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volumes, Vol. 73 (1999)]. [REVIEW]Ian Rumfitt & Timothy Williamson - 2000 - Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 100:321 - 343.
Predicate abstraction, the limits of quantification, and the modality of existence.Philip Percival - 2011 - Philosophical Studies 156 (3):389-416.
Existence predicate.Reinhard Muskens - 1993 - In R. E. Asher & J. M. Y. Simpson (eds.), The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford: Pergamon. pp. 1191.
Context dependence and implicit arguments in existentials.Itamar Francez - 2010 - Linguistics and Philosophy 33 (1):11-30.
Names, fictional names, and 'really'.R. M. Sainsbury - 1999 - Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume 73 (1):243–269.
Logic and existence.Timothy Williamson - 1999 - Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume 73 (1):181–203.
Logic and existence.Ian Rumfitt - 1999 - Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume 73 (1):151–180.
Negation.Ernesto Napoli - 2006 - Grazer Philosophische Studien 72 (1):233-252.
The problem of negative existentials does not exist: A case for dynamic semantics.Lenny Clapp - 2009 - Journal of Pragmatics 41 (7):1422-1434.

Analytics

Added to PP
2011-06-16

Downloads
644 (#25,491)

6 months
64 (#67,914)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Stephen K. McLeod
University of Liverpool

Citations of this work

Add more citations

References found in this work

The Varieties of Reference.Gareth Evans - 1982 - Oxford: Oxford University Press. Edited by John Henry McDowell.
Ontological relativity and other essays.Willard Van Orman Quine (ed.) - 1969 - New York: Columbia University Press.
The Varieties of Reference.Louise M. Antony - 1987 - Philosophical Review 96 (2):275.
Methods of logic.Willard Van Orman Quine - 1950 - Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
The Varieties of Reference.Gareth Evans & John Mcdowell - 1986 - Philosophy 61 (238):534-538.

View all 25 references / Add more references