Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 14:24:20 -0400 (EDT) From: Ruth Groff <rgroff-AT-yorku.ca> Subject: BHA: referential detachment Hiya Marsh and Viren, I don't know a lot of philosophy of language, so maybe others can help more here. I have mostly bracketed Bhaskar's concept of "referential detachment" as short-hand for an argument on behalf of a very traditional, realist account of reference. On this traditional, much contested (for what it's worth) account, words are essentially labels for the things that exist. Reference is a matter of pointing, linguistically, to things -- including sometimes to things that are themselves extra-linguistic. My hunch is like yours, Viren: it is at least worth *asking* whether this kind of theory of reference is the necessary undergirding of a theory of knowledge in which we claim conceptual contact the object itself, or "referent" if you prefer. Obviously this opens up a hugh can of worms. Have fun! r. --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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