In the opening paragraphs of “On Denoting”, Russell overturns almost every aspect of the theory he earlier proposed in The Principles of Mathematics. This question asks you to explain the new theory, and to compare it with its predecessor.
(a) Russell claims in 1905 that an expression counts as a denoting phrase in virtue of its “form.” What does he mean by this? How does it distinguish his new theory from the one he proposed in Principles of Mathematics?
(b) Russell distinguishes between knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description. Explain this distinction and give an example of something you know in each of these ways, respectively. Which of these two sorts of knowledge is dependent on knowledge of propositions?
(c) Explain the notion of a propositional function. What does it mean to say that a propositional function is always true? Using these resources, how would the Russell of “On Denoting” analyze the proposition expressed by the sentence “Some philosopher admires Flaubert”?
(d) In "On Denoting" Russell famously claims that the "principle" of his new theory of denoting is that denoting phrases never have any meaning in isolation, although they contribute to the meaning of every sentence in which they occur. Describe how his new theory illustrates this principle. In what ways is this new principle incompatible with the view he developed in Principles of Mathematics?
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