de re/de dicto ambiguity, intersective and subsective adjectives Flashcards
SCOPAL AMBIGUITY
De re/de dicto ambiguity represented as differences in scope
> Description has WIDE scope (propositional attitude in the scope of description): de re/SPECIFIC reading
> Description has NARROW scope (propositional attitude has scope over description): de dicto/NON-SPECIFIC reading
EG.: Luke wants to marry a Spanish girl with green eyes
specific, de re, wide scope: dolores
∃x [(GIRL(x) & SPANISH(x) & GREEN-EYED (x) &[ WANT(l, MARRY(l,x)])]
non specific, de dicto, narrow scope
WANT(l,[∃x [(GIRL(x) & SPANISH(x) & GREEN-EYED (x) & MARRY(l,x)]])
Intersective adjectives
denotation set = set of all things that have both properties denoted by Adj and N
Subsective adjectives
Francis is a skillfull surgeon Francis is a violinist \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ?Francis is a skilfull violinist NOT VALID
The set of skillful surgeons is included in the set of surgeons (subset)
>A skillful surgeon is necessarily a surgeon
Subsective adjectives are INTENSIONAL:
combine with the SENSES of the Nouns they modify –NOT their DENOTATIONS
>Skillful “extremely good at the activity named by the NP”
>It is not necessarily T that skillful surgeons who play the violin are also skillful violonists
Other adjectives also modify the sense of the N
¡ Former, alleged, beautiful…