Synopses & Reviews
In this book, Alan Berger further develops the new theory of reference -- as formulated by Kripke and Putnam -- applying it in novel ways to many philosophical problems concerning reference and existence. Berger argues that his notion of anaphoric background condition and anaphoric links within a linguistic community are crucial not only to a theory of reference, but to the analysis of these problems as well.
The book is organized in three parts. In part I, Berger distinguishes between two styles of rigid designation. Based on this distinction, he develops a theory of reference change for rigid designator terms and shows how this distinction sheds light on identity statements. In part II, he offers an account of belief attribution containing vacuous names within the belief context, of intentional identity statements, and of true negative existential statements. In part III, he analyzes anaphoric expressions (i.e., expressions whose reference is determined in part by other clauses or sentences in a given discourse) and presents a formalization of anaphora and plural quantification.
Review
A major work. Berger offers an elegant examination of issues that have been in controversy for the last forty years and that have been and are being discussed by the best philosophers of language. But where others have tended to offer piecemeal solutions, Berger offers a unified account based on a small set of principles. < b=""> William G. Lycan <> , William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Review
"Terms and Truth makes novel and valuable contributions to the theory of reference."--William G. Lycan, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The MIT Press
Review
Terms and Truth is a fascinating work that provides a penetrating analysis of a range of important topics. In particular, Berger offers an original, plausible, and powerful theory of the semantics of anaphoric terms, and his discussion includes far and away the best explication I know of the importance of such terms in language and thought. < b=""> William G. Lycan <> , William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Review
Berger examines the theory of direct reference (i.e, the account of reference associated with my The Meaning of Meaning and with Kripke's Naming and Necessity). His examination leads at once to a fundamental recasting of the theory: he examines both the epistemological underpinnings of the theory (which he sees as presupposing a special way of attending to objects, which he calls 'focussing') and its formal semantics. He makes a convincing case that the semantics of the theory of direct reference requires an account of anaphora, and he provides the first formal semantic theory of anaphora that I have seen anywhere. Finally, he shows the power of the theory by applying it to a particular case in the philosophy of physics (the semantics of the term 'mass' in Newtonian physics). The book is enriched at every point with beautiful points of detail which, however, never distract attention from the main line of argument, which is very clear. < b=""> George M. Wilson <> , Department of Philosophy, University of California at Davis
Review
Alan Berger is a philosopher distinguished by both acuteness and sound basic intuitions. This book ranges from basic concepts in the theory of reference to specific issues such as intentional attitudes toward the nonexistent to highly technical problems in formal semantics. It is important reading for philosophers of language. < b=""> Hilary Putnam <> , Cogan University Professor Emeritus, Harvard University
Review
I know of no other book in recent years which can serve, as this book can, at once as a comprehensive survey of one of the most important debates in contemporary metaphysics and a genuinely important contribution to that debate. < b=""> Saul Kripke <> , author of < i=""> Naming and Necessity <>
Review
Not just another book on consciousness! This one is about various kinds of unity (and a few disunities) in phenomenal experience. Provocative claims are defended, and the presentation is lucid and engaging throughout. I especially recommend Tye's chapter on the specious present. The MIT Press
Review
"The position Melser defends, a neo-behaviorist solution to the mind-body problem, flouts all received doctrine in philosophy of mind and cognitive psychology. There is precedent for his view in the mid-20th-century works of Ryle and others, but his version of it is entirely original, and his case for it highly so. What is particularly distinctive is that Melser's argument incorporates a novel error theory -- indeed, a novel kind of error theory. He argues that all non-behaviorist mental talk is metaphorical, and even provides an illuminating general essay on metaphor to back up that claim. An extraordinary work, and well argued too."--William G. Lycan, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor of Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillPlease note: Endorser gives permission to excerpt from quote.
Review
Terms and Truth makes novel and valuable contributions to the theory of reference. < b=""> Gilbert Harman <> , Department of Philosophy, Princeton University
Synopsis
A novel development of the "new theory of reference" that focuses on a formal semantics for anaphora and philosophical problems of reference and existence.
Synopsis
The book is organized in three parts. In part I, Berger distinguishes between two styles of rigid designation. Based on this distinction, he develops a theory of reference change for rigid designator terms and shows how this distinction sheds light on identity statements. In part II, he offers an account of belief attribution containing vacuous names within the belief context, of intentional identity statements, and of true negative existential statements. In part III, he analyzes anaphoric expressions (i.e., expressions whose reference is determined in part by other clauses or sentences in a given discourse) and presents a formalization of anaphora and plural quantification.
Synopsis
In this book, Alan Berger further develops the new theory of reference--as formulated by Kripke and Putnam--applying it in novel ways to many philosophical problems concerning reference and existence. Berger argues that his notion of anaphoric background condition and anaphoric links within a linguistic community are crucial not only to a theory of reference, but to the analysis of these problems as well.
About the Author
Alan Berger is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Brandeis University.