Names, Plans, and Descriptions
Names, Plans, and Descriptions
This chapter presents an attempt to explore and understand the difficulties involved in the articulation of causal-descriptive descriptions in an effort to find a resolution. It begins by presenting Frank Jackson’s version of the complaint against Kripke’s arguments, which emphasizes the role of implicit knowledge. This complaint has garnered widespread criticism due to this emphasis. After discussing these criticisms as articulated in recent works by Scott Soames, the chapter provides suggestions on what is lacking from Jackson’s version of the complaint, and from all others. The latter part of the chapter presents arguments stating that, although Canberra Planners have been keen to find a place for a respectable form of descriptivism, what is missing from their story is an acknowledgment of the notion of a referential plan in the institution of referring with names.
Keywords: causal-descriptive descriptions, Frank Jackson, Kripke, implicit knowledge, Scott Soames, Canberra Planners, descriptivism, referential plan
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