Tools
ToolsCollins, John (2022) Natural language quantification is not polysemous. Synthese, 200 (5). ISSN 0039-7857
Preview |
PDF (s11229-022-03773-0)
- Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (366kB) | Preview |
Abstract
The paper argues that natural language quantification, as expressed by determiner phrases, is not polysemous. The foil for this claim is Hofweber (Ontology and the ambitions of metaphysics. Oxford University Press, 2016; Mind, 128:699–734, 2019), who contends that natural language quantification is polysemous between a domain reading and an inferential reading. The thesis is intended to support a more general division between externalist and internalist positions in semantics. The paper, to the contrary, argues that there is no linguistic evidence for polysemous quantification, and Hofweber’s proposal proves to be non-compositional. Further, an approach at least consistent with internalism is available independent of an inferential reading, for natural language quantification can be read as ontologically neutral, which removes the rationale for the polysemy hypothesis. The paper remains neutral on so-called heavyweight (thick) vs. lightweight (thin) construals of quantification, which are not claims about natural language semantics.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | compositionality,inference,ontological commitment,quantification,philosophy,social sciences(all) ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1211 |
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies University of East Anglia > Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Philosophy |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Sep 2022 13:33 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Oct 2022 01:40 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/88192 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s11229-022-03773-0 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |