Loekıa: Mention sense and reference

2024-11-01T12:48:12Z

Mention sense and reference

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	For example, "a prime number less than 10" is an intensional definition, wheres "one of {2, 3, 5, 7}" is extensional.		For example, "a prime number less than 10" is an intensional definition, wheres "one of {2, 3, 5, 7}" is extensional.

	By extension, in semantics, an '''intensional''' ''interpretation'' of a phrase is one that ~~can still access~~ the words used, whereas an '''extensional''' interpretation is one that directly gets at the referent.		By extension, in semantics, an '''intensional''' ''interpretation'' of a phrase is one that retains the [[wikipedia:Sense_and_reference\|sense]] of the words used, whereas an '''extensional''' interpretation is one that directly gets at the referent.

	For example, consider the phrase ''Clark Kent is Superman''. If both phrases are given an extensional interpretation, the phrase's denotation collapses to <math>x = x</math> for the man <math>x</math> denoted by "Clark Kent" and by "Superman". Handling noun phrases this way is the easiest option, but as we can see, it fails to capture the "intensional" essence of this sentence (an equality of two ''descriptions'') and collapses it down to a tautology (an equality between <math>x</math> and itself).		For example, consider the phrase ''Clark Kent is Superman''. If both phrases are given an extensional interpretation, the phrase's denotation collapses to <math>x = x</math> for the man <math>x</math> denoted by "Clark Kent" and by "Superman". Handling noun phrases this way is the easiest option, but as we can see, it fails to capture the "intensional" essence of this sentence (an equality of two ''descriptions'') and collapses it down to a tautology (an equality between <math>x</math> and itself).

Laqme: Initial article

2024-11-01T12:35:32Z

Initial article

New page

In philosophy, the word '''intension''' (with an '''s''' — not inten'''t'''ion) refers to definitions in terms of properties, or "necessary and sufficient conditions", rather than '''extension''', a direct enumeration of referents.

For example, "a prime number less than 10" is an intensional definition, wheres "one of {2, 3, 5, 7}" is extensional.

By extension, in semantics, an '''intensional''' ''interpretation'' of a phrase is one that can still access the words used, whereas an '''extensional''' interpretation is one that directly gets at the referent.

For example, consider the phrase ''Clark Kent is Superman''. If both phrases are given an extensional interpretation, the phrase's denotation collapses to <math>x = x</math> for the man <math>x</math> denoted by "Clark Kent" and by "Superman". Handling noun phrases this way is the easiest option, but as we can see, it fails to capture the "intensional" essence of this sentence (an equality of two ''descriptions'') and collapses it down to a tautology (an equality between <math>x</math> and itself).

To handle a noun phrase like "Superman" ''intensionally'', we need a denotation that can still access the descriptor used. The [[Kuna]] way to do this is to denote noun phrases with an [[effect]] ''Int''. Under the hood, it's not an entity directly, but a function from worlds to entities; {{t|mí Superman}} refers not directly to that man <math>x</math> but to something like ''λw.'' superman(''w'') — that is, whoever is called "Superman" in the world the clause is to be evaluated in.

A real-life example: in a conversation on [[Discord]] about a now-defunct social media platform that changed its name from ''Calckey'' to ''Firefish'', Kıa said:

{{Example|duashao jí, mä taoshao nhána, ꝡä sıu chúa shú Firefox|I wonder if they intend for the name to resemble "Firefox"}}

This only makes sense if {{t|chúa}} is given an intensional interpretation: it must refer to ''whatever name the platform has'', rather than to ''the word <code>Calckey</code>'' or ''the word <code>Firefish</code>'' for the sentence to really work. <ref>https://discord.com/channels/311223912044167168/889589074011230230/1131693189561061496</ref>

Intension - Revision history

Loekıa: Mention sense and reference

Laqme: Initial article