Abstract

LE GALL, Sylvain. Natural kind terms and possible beings: issues in referential accessibility. discus.filos [online]. 2013, vol.14, n.23, pp.135-153. ISSN 0124-6127.

The present article is a critical discussion of the main classical theories in philosophy of language, with regard to the semantic issues of referential accessibility. It reviews the positions taken by proponents of physicalist reduction of the reference relation within the framework of a naturalized epistemology (Quine-Hempel thesis), followers of the linguistic-anthropological constructivism of sortal properties (Wiggins) and supporters of Kripke's theory of direct reference. The discussion opens with the debate of the problem of essentialism and metaphysical realism with regard to the reference relation to Natural Kind Terms and Possible Beings. Finally, introduces a semantic model of strong prescriptive nature, with a set theory formalization oriented to classifying Natural Kind Terms, Possible Beings and Fictitious Specimens without any ontological incompatibility between them.

Keywords : Naturalized epistemology; natural kind terms; philosophy of language; sortal properties; Kripke's Theory of Direct Reference.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )