University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1984 Proper names, beliefs, and definite descriptions. Thomas C. Ryckman University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Ryckman, Thomas C., "Proper names, beliefs, and definite descriptions." (1984). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 1789. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/1789 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. •'iuV'j » *-!'< Vr.’ — /: ' " FIVE COLLEGE , V V 'v DEPOSITORY PROPER NAMES, BELIEFS, AND DEFINITE DESCRIPTIONS A Dissertation Presented By THOMAS CHARLES RYCKMAN Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY September 1 984 Department of Philosophy Thomas Charles Ryckman © All Rights Reserved 11 PROPER NAMES, BELIEFS, AND DEFINITE DESCRIPTIONS A Dissertation Presented By THOMAS CHARLES RYCKMAN Approved as to style and content by: Edmund L. Gettier , III, ChairpersonChairpe of Committee Barbara Partee, Member obison, Member Michael Jubien, Department Head Department of Philosophy Dedicated, with love, to Susanne Burgess Ryckman IV . — ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I Wish to acknowledge my debt and gratitude to certain persons and institutions Edmund L. Gettier, III, has read and commented on three prior drafts of this dissertation, and on additional versions of some of its parts. He has patiently and -ski Hfu! guided !y me to more fully appreciate the complexity and subtlety of the issues I have considered.