File spoon-archives/bhaskar.archive/bhaskar_2000/bhaskar.0006, message 40


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.



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