[lit-ideas] Knowing who Andrew McCarthy is
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:14:19 EDT
In a message dated 8/24/2010 11:00:22, judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
writes:
I do know who Andrew McCarthy is.
---- Oddly, I read that to read, "I do NOT know who Andrew McCarthy is".
And was reminded of a discussion I was held elsewhere on Dummett.
In general, we can say that, say,
Judith Evans -- I use "McEvoy" as an example, out of politeness -- to say
things like:
McEvoy knows who Andrew McCarthy is.
Or its negation:
McEvoy doesn't know who Andrew McCarthy is.
One thing, Dummett holds, that holds, is:
McEvoy knows that Andrew McCarthy IS Andrew McCarthy.
Dummett discusses this vis a vis Frege's rather stupid claims about the
'sense' and 'reference' of a proper name. In the case of "Andrew McCarthy",
when we say we know who he is, we mean -- a male, heterosexual (or
homosexual) journalist, or writer, or guitar playing, who is a red-haired, or
not,
and lives in Paris, or Frankfurt, or not, and has a dog.
All the things we know about Andrew McCarthy constitute what Dummett calls
the 'dossier'. In general, when conversing, we choose the right dossier.
----- Andrew McCarthy did that.
----- Did what?
----- walked the dog without a leash.
---- Andrew McCarthy?
---- The owner of that big Dane the house overlooking the river.
In other conversations, other 'descriptions' attached to the 'dossier'
"Andrew McCarthy" may be more appropriate.
Speranza -- Bordighera
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