Does "rabbit" refer to rabbits?

• Main Author: Michael Liston
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Rijeka. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 2005-01-01
• Series: European Journal of Analytic Philosophy
• Subjects: the problem of semantic projection; reference schema; the problem of induction
• Online Access: https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/134647

It is commonly presupposed that all instances of the deflationary reference schema ‘F’ applies to x if and only if x is ‘are correct. This paper argues, mainly on the basis of concrete example, that we have little reason to be confident about this presupposition: our tendency to believe the instances is based on local successes that may not be globally extendible. There is a problem of semantic projection, Ii argue, and standard accounts that would resolve or dissolve the problem are problematic.