ON THE SEMANTICS OF PROPER NAMES AND OF COMMON NAMES
ON THE SEMANTICS OF PROPER NAMES AND OF COMMON NAMES

Summary/Abstract: On the Semantics of Proper Names and of Common Names. This article proposes an account within a framework of logical semantics and syntax of aspects associated with the denotation of proper names (of individuals) and of descriptive and non-descriptive common names, i.e., common nouns. The first three sections address theoretical notions (meaning, possible worlds, transworld identity), while the following sections go on to discuss the semantics (and syntax) of proper names in comparison with those of common names. Proper names of individuals are seen as singular terms whose meaning lies exclusively in their denotation. They designate rigidly and occur in syntactic configurations of specific kinds. Common names are general terms that have internal structure. They can also designate rigidly, as is the case with non-descriptive terms denoting natural kinds, natural phenomena, and colors. Descriptive common names, however, designate non-rigidly, since they pick out different entities in different worlds.

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