A Here-Now Thery of Indexicality

Journal of Philosophical Research 18:193-211 (1993)
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Abstract

This paper attempts to define indexicality so as to semantically distinguish indexicals from proper names and definite descriptions. The widely-accepted approach that says that indexical reference is distinctive in being dependent on context of use is criticized. A reductive approach is proposed and defended that takes an indexical to be (roughly) an expression that either is or is equivalent to ‘here’ or ‘now’, or is such that a tokening of it refers by relating something to the place and/or time that would have been referred to had ‘here’ and ‘now’ been tokened instead. Alternative reductive approaches are criticized.

Author's Profile

Gilbert Edward Plumer
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (PhD)

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