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Towards a Neuroscientific Theory of Reference

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Towards a Neuroscientific Theory of Reference View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto A r i The topic of the dissertation is the reference of proper names. It A r i P e u h u P criticizes the amalgam of the current standard theory, the direct- e u h causal theory of reference and defends the Fregean sense theory of u reference. In addition, the Fregean view is neuronaturalized by Towards a Neuroscientific Theory of Reference Gerald Edelman's idea of recurrent networks, combined with temporal synchrony of neural processing, which is generalized in the dissertation to explain conceptual information. Towards a Neuroscientific The direct-causal theory's main arguments - modal, epistemological and semantic - are all shown to be weak and based on mistaken Theory of Reference presuppositions, like synonymies between proper names and descriptions. Causal communicative links are shown to be too weak for reference retention; it is also argued that intentions to retain the original referent are too weak. Moreover, it is suggested that the "intuition arguments" invoked by direct-causal theorists are misguided. They are shown to be based on a basic schema of reference, a postulation proposed in the dissertation to explain the precondition of referential use of language. Reference is grounded on information transmission and its embodiment in neurocognitive processes, mainly having to do with neural memory systems. So contrary to the direct-causal theorists' view, reference is cognitive through and through, as Fregean theory maintains. Classical problems in philosophy of language, like the informationality of identity statements, propositional attitude contexts, de re vs. de dicto, among others, are solved. Ph ilosophical Studies from the University of Helsinki 44 ISBN 978-952-10-9860-4 ISBN 978-952-10-9861-1 (pdf) Helsinki 2014 Unigrafia Filosofisia tutkimuksia Helsingin yliopistosta Filosofiska studier från Helsingfors universitet Philosophical Studies from the University of Helsinki Publishers: Theoretical Philosophy Social and Moral Philosophy Philosophy (Swedish) P.O. Box 24 (Unioninkatu 40 A) 00014 University of Helsinki FINLAND Editors: Panu Raatikainen Tuija Takala Bernt Österman ii Ari Peuhu Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki, in auditorium XV, on the 7th of May, 2014 at 12 o’clock. iii ISBN 978-952-10-9860-4 ISBN 978-952-10-9861-1 (pdf) iv '&+&+* :3 333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333: !,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,4 !!" ' ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,7 "/#!" 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