Kripke on the Descriptive Theory of Names

Kripke on the Descriptive Theory of Names, lecture I of Naming and Necessity

[indigomalatt]

amazing that someone is able to go through Russell, Mill and Kripke and yet remain so cheerful

[ginogarcia]

coming back here after listening through other stuff - thanks Professor Bonevac

[ryang]

excellent lecture. excited to give it a 2nd read now.

[cara_rima]

feel like 70% of this was summarizing Frege and Russel theories on names rather than Kripke

[s.combis]

Thank you so much. This is a great lecture. I needed this. 💌

[chronicskeptic]

Professor Bonevac, I want to ask a question. I have a hard time understanding the philosophy of language. To understand Frege's Sense and Reference I had to read it three times. I still do not think I understood. Kripke is also hard for me to understand. Is it because of abstract concepts? Is it hard for students in general or is this my problem? :(( Can you give me some advice to be able to understand these abstract concepts? When I read I really cannot understand and this frustrates me so much, I stop reading. Your lectures made my life easy, thank you for this!

[soebredden]

It is very clear from the start that: A name can have a unique referent without having any of the propperties or descriptives that is known. That is why Russel/Frege theory is wrong. Personly I believe that Frege never ment it that way and that it is Russel who insisted on the void of enteties in language and symbols

[liorab]

what a brilliant lecture!! thank you so Pro. Bonevac 3>

[treyb]

If we name a river, there is a benefit to its recognition. It is this latter level of observation that is important because at another level of observation and analysis, the water is completely different from one moment to the next. The establishment of necessity is a cognitive process, and the attribution of necessity is questionable from the perspective of objectivity. The attribution of necessity is subjective and intersubjective oftentimes. The agreement between thinkers attributing necessity to events and objects is intersubjective. For relations of ideas (maths etc.), there is often objectivity based upon certain assumptions.

For the concept of world, there are three possibilities, no world, one possible and real world, and more than one world, which includes the real world. Focusing just on the latter possibility is misguided, which is what Kripke and D. Lewis do.

[bomichaels]

if we had a good theory of names what would stop us from applying that to any word?

[pmcate]

You sat in on a Kripke lecture when you were 15?? Also, you mention at 21:25 about accidentally labeling something twice. This is similar to uniqueness proofs in mathematics. Usually we say that two objects have the same property, label them differently, then we show that those labels actually represent the same object. So Frege and Russell would then not approve of this?

[millerelad]

If like Arthur didnt exist, i see no problem- his tag is removed & placed over the legend (myth), so i dont think there is a problem in that sense with Mill's approach.

[matthewfrazier]

His sorting of modal logic systems sounds very similar to ed witten merging all the string theories into one. Very neat!!

[BenWeinsteinRaun]

Chester A. Arthur: The person who was president of the United States and would have agreed that "Chester A. Arthur" was his name.

[theorbization]

anyone got a citation for that directory of modal logics mentioned at the start?

[sawtoothiandi]

any president should have basic background in language theory!! would clear up some problems we seem to be having. difference between direct speech and self-serving propaganda!!

[javiervonsydow]

Had to stop one fifth of the way not because the professor was not trying with all his gifts but because the proposition was lacking. Does not add anything of value (in my humble view) to what Aristotle described as the essence that lies in a name or concept.

[dieweltweltetshankardeepu]

How about Lenin professor can't we refer to him

[michellediamond]

OMG brilliant lecture except for the disgusting students who can't blow their noses, who keep sniffing and being so rude.