It all started when McEvoy was referring to a song entitled, "I believe in
Father Christmas", and he was wondering if the utterer's intention (and
implicature) -- even if he doesn't use this jargon but speaks of intended
meaning) is that Santa (Claus) does not exist.
On the other hand, at the Secret Theatre, a play is being staged. It is called,
'A Charlie Brown Christmas’.
It is of course the stage version of the beloved (by many) animated television
special and features Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang
searching for the real meaning of Christmas by dancing and waxing philosophical
about the existence of Santa.
Note the similarity in the wording with McEvoy's original post, "waxing
philosophical about the existence of Santa."
H. P. Grice wrote "Vacuous Names" for a Quine festschrift, and it might be
argued that for some Santa-sceptics, "Santa" falls under that category (of
'vacuous name'). A more recent compilation, entitled, "EMPTY names" gives other
examples. Seeing that
i. Santa Claus = Saint Nicholas
it is hard to see how the implicature that Santa does not exist may be inferred
from Sinfield's lyrics -- but you never know with Sinfield.
Cheers
Speranza
