Sense and reference

How does language relate to reality? How is it that words can be about things or refer to things? Referring expressions or singular terms, expressions which pick out a particular object, are normally divided into three categories: proper names !ulius "aesar#, Rome#$, descriptions the con%ueror of &aul#$ and demonstratives this#, that#, that city#, this emperor#$' (ames and descriptions need to be treated separately' )emonstratives are treated in the philosophy of language section of this &uide'$ *he standard reading for this topic is contained in the anthologies edited by +artinich and +oore mentioned above, there is an excellent introductory essay in sections - . / of +ark Sainsbury, 0hilosophical 1ogic#, in 2' "' &rayling, ed', 0hilosophy' *here are short versions of writings by +ill and 3rege, with commentary, in "hapter 4ne of Reading 0hilosophy of 1anguage, eds' !' Hornsby and &' 1ongworth 4xford: 5lackwell forthcoming$' 3rege#s classic theory of sense and reference is an essential theme' 3rege thought that there are two aspects to the meaning of any term: its reference what it applies to in the world$ and its sense the way in which the term presents its reference$' So the two terms !ulius "aesar# and the Roman con%ueror of &aul# have the same reference but different senses' See 3rege, 4n Sense and Reference#, in the 3rege Reader, reprinted in +oore and in +artinich' See also +ichael )ummett, 3rege#s )istinction 5etween Sense and Reference#, in +oore and in )ummett#s *ruth and 4ther 6nigmas, 1ondon: )uckworth, -789$' 3or discussion, see &areth 6vans, *he :arieties of Reference, 4xford: "larendon 0ress, -79/$, chapter -, &regory +c"ulloch, *he &ame of the (ame, chapters -.;, )avid 5ell, Reference and Sense: an 6pitome#, in "' <right, ed', 3rege: *radition and =nfluence, 4xford: 5lackwell, -79>$ and How Russellian was 3rege?#, +ind 77 -77?$: /@8A/88, and )ummett, 3rege: 0hilosophy of 1anguage, 1ondon: )uckworth, -79-$ chapters -, ; . @' 3or more on 3rege see the section 0hilosophies of 3rege, Russell and <ittgenstein in this guide'