Anti-Kripkean intuitions: conceptualism versus essentialism
Critique of Kripke's explanation of reference to common names, which he called "descriptivism." The arguments he advanced in favor of his own essentialist causal-historical account of the reference. An alternative to conceptualism versus essentialism.
| Рубрика | Философия |
| Вид | статья |
| Язык | английский |
| Дата добавления | 27.04.2023 |
| Размер файла | 36,3 K |
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Kripke claims that even if scientists unexpectedly find out that animals that perfectly fit the typical description of unicorns do really exist (or did really existed), it would nevertheless be truth that unicorns don't exist (never existed). On Kripke's view, these unicorn-like animals would not be unicorns; it would be incorrect to call them «unicorns»: «even if archeologists or geologists were to discover tomorrow some fossils conclusively showing the existence of animals in the past satisfying everything we know about the unicorns from the myth of the unicorn, that would not show that there were unicorns» [Kripke, 1972: p. 254]. Why? Just because admitting that these creatures were unicorns contradicts Kripke's theory of the reference of natural kind terms.
Kripke's point is that historically, the word «unicorn» was not introduced to designate some natural kind by the appropriate procedure of «baptism». In fact, it was never used to refer to any real, existing animal. So, there is no natural kind of unicorns (no set of the initial referents of the general name «unicorn» ^ no Essential properties of the largest part of this set ^ no unicorns). With «unicorns», Kripke's natural kind theory does not apply: if animals that perfectly fit the description of unicorns exist (existed), they don't stand to our use of the word «unicorn» in the historical-cum-causal relationship required by Kripke's theory of natural kinds. Hence, if Kripke's theory is right, they are not unicorns.
However, why should we subject our use of such words as «unicorn» to the dictate of Kripke's theory rather than judge this theory by what seems natural to say in the situation envisioned independently of this theory? I suppose that Kripke's theory should by judged by what we find natural to say in such situations, rather then vice versa. Otherwise, what evidence can there be for the truth/falsity of this theory? And I suppose that if scientists were to discover the existence of animals «satisfying everything we know about the unicorns from the myth of the unicorn», people who are not aware of Kripke's theory would say (and newspapers would write) that scientists have discovered that unicorns really exist(ed).
The analysis proposed in this article shows that Kripke's arguments against «de - scriptivism» and in favour of his own essentialist theory of the reference of natural kind terms fall short of their purpose. Most of Kripkean intuitions on which these arguments are based are highly controversial, and a moderately sophisticated form of conceptualism (the cluster theory of meaning) can successfully account for their most plausible part. The examples and speculations Kripke advanced to explain and support his case are two-edged: they can be developed and used to undermine Kripke's theory and uphold conceptualism. The further arguments of Kripke's followers - especially, of the second most influential figure in the Kripkean «revolution», Hilary Putnam - would be an appropriate topic for subsequent discussion.
References
kripke descriptivism conceptualism essentialism
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