Same Reference and Same Word in Twin Earth Thought Experiment
Same Reference and Same Word in Twin Earth Thought Experiment

Summary/Abstract: Putnam suggests a well-known thought experiment, the Twin Earth thought experiment, in order to reject the influential thesis that sameness of meaning implies sameness of reference. I argue that this conclusion is far from obvious and that it meets serious problems. I show that there are (at least) two kinds of problems with Putnam’s main argument. First, I claim, some of the premises of the argument have implications which are hard to accept. Also, I show that some of the terms, central for the argument (like „structure” and „water”), have a tacitly overassumed role. Second, I demonstrate that the conclusion of the argument does not follow from the suggested premises with necessity. The main focus of the discussion is Putnam’s notion of „structure” and the terms water E and water TE which play the main role in the thought experiment. I offer „Crazy Water” modified thought experiment and in the light of it I conclude that we reach contradictions between of the assumptions of the argument and conceivable claims, legitimate both logically and scientifically. Since these readings exhaust the possible relevant readings of the terms „water” I argue that the thought experiment is not successful in its main purpose. At the end I suggest that we do not have good enough reasons to accept Putnam’s essentialist claim or at least the particular claim that difference in structure is an essential property.

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