Toward the Daily Sense of Referential and Meaning: Russell's Denoting Theory Revisited

Abstract

Russell's theory of descriptions was initially inspired by Frege's exploration of the significance of searching for the denotation of statements in his published paper Sense and Reference. In order to resolve the classic existential paradox - whether a propositional subject is still meaningful when it has no counterpart in the real world - Russell's theory of descriptions was proposed to provide a unique perspective and a solution using facsimiles to address such problems. In this article, we will explain how Russell's theory of facsimiles may be meaningfully applied to a relevant discussion of everyday occurrences and situations by using the fundamental notions offered in his theory. The first question that has to be answered is whether or not Russell's theory is successful in bridging the gap between fictional aspects and the subject of interpreting language used in daily life. This investigation makes an effort to shed light on this topic while also illuminating the wider link that exists between language, reference and meaning.