The Referential Mechanism of Proper Names: Cross-cultural Investigations into Referential Intuitions

Description

Each of us bears a unique name given to us at birth. When people use your name, they typically refer to you. But what is the linkage that ties a name to a person and hence allows it to refer? Li’s book approaches this question of reference empirically through the medium of referential intuitions. Building on the literature on philosophical and linguistic intuitions, she proposes a linguistic-competence-based account of referential intuitions. Subsequently, using a series of novel experiments, she investigates the variation of referential intuitions across different cultures, as well as the developmental trajectory and the underlying causes of the observed cultural differences. What she finds is that the cultural patterns of referential intuitions are already in place around age seven, and the differences are largely attributable to the distinct perspective taking strategies favoured by easterners and westerners, rather than the moral valence of actions involved in the experimental materials. These results are taken to better support referential pluralism (in particular, the ambiguous view) than referential monism. By undertaking this fascinating research, Li’s book provides new insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying people’s referential usage of names. It will be valuable to students and scholars of linguistics, philosophy of language and experimental philosophy, and in particular, to those who research into semantic intuitions and theories of reference. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Figures Tables Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1 Introduction: Proper Names and Reference 1.1 Proper Names 1.2 The Reference Question of Proper Names 1.3 Rationale for the Book 1.3.1 Why the Reference of Proper Names? 1.3.2 Why Referential Intuitions? 1.4 Research Questions 1.5 Research Methodology 1.6 Organization of the Book Note 2 Classical Theories of Reference of Proper Names 2.1 The Reference Theory of Proper Names 2.1.1 The Descriptivist Theory of Reference 2.1.2 The Causal-Historical View of Reference 2.2 Armchair Theorizing Methodology 2.3 Empirical Challenges to Theories of Reference 2.4 Research Gap 2.5 Summary Notes 3 An Account of Referential Intuitions 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Defining Referential Intuitions 3.2.1 Setting the Stage: Different Perspectives On Linguistics 3.2.2 Accounting for the Mental State of Intuitions 3.2.2.1 Intuitions as Seemings 3.2.2.2 Intuitions as Dispositional Responses 3.2.2.3 Intuitions as Judgments 3.2.2.4 Interim Summary 3.2.3 Accounting for the Content of Intuitions 3.3 Expert’s Intuition vs. Folk’s Intuition 3.4 Summary Notes 4 The Cross-Cultural Variation in Referential Intuitions 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Study 1: The Cross-Cultural and Developmental Study 4.2.1 Hypotheses 4.2.2 Overall Design 4.2.3 Methods 4.2.3.1 Materials 4.2.3.2 Pilot Study On Adults 4.2.3.3 Participants 4.2.3.4 Procedure 4.2.4 Results and Analysis 4.3 Discussions 4.3.1 The Cultural Patterns of Referential Intuitions 4.3.2 The Development of Referential Intuitions 4.3.3 The Causes of the Cross-Cultural Variation 4.3.3.1 Initial Cultural Learning 4.3.3.2 Politeness Strategies 4.3.3.3 Perspective-Taking Strategies 4.4 Summary Notes 5 The Effects of Moral Valence On Referential Intuitions 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Knobe Effect 5.2.1 The Knobe Effect in Experimental Philosophy 5.2.2 The Knobe Effect and Referential Intuitions 5.3 Study 2: The Moral Study 5.3.1 Methods 5.3.1.1 Materials 5.3.1.2 Participants 5.3.1.3 Predictions 5.3.2 Results and Analysis 5.4 Discussions 5.4.1 Moderate Effects of Moral Valence 5.4.2 Revisiting Variation in Vignettes 5.5 Summary Notes 6 The Effects of Perspective-Taking On Referential Intuitions 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Perspectival Ambiguity in Gödel-Style Probes 6.1.2 Perspective-Taking in Language Comprehension 6.1.3 Cultural Effect On Perspective-Taking 6.1.4 Interim Summary 6.2 Study 3: The Perspective-Priming Study 6.2.1 Methods 6.2.1.1 Materials 6.2.1.2 Pilot Study 6.2.1.3 Participants 6.2.1.4 Procedure 6.2.2 Results and Analysis 6.2.2.1 Results of Task 1: The Spatial Perspective-Taking Task 6.2.2.2 Results of Task 2: Truth-Value Judgment Task 6.2.3 Discussion 6.3 Study 4: The Perspective-Taking Study 6.3.1 Methods 6.3.1.1 Materials 6.3.1.2 Participants 6.3.1.3 Procedure 6.3.2 Results and Analysis 6.3.2.1 TVJ Task: The Proportion of “No” Responses 6.3.2.2 Participants’ Justification Remarks 6.3.3 Summary 6.4 Study 5: A Follow-Up Study On Perspective-Taking 6.4.1 Methods 6.4.1.1 Materials 6.4.1.2 Participants 6.4.1.3 Procedure 6.4.2 Results and Analysis 6.4.3 Summary 6.5 General Discussions Notes 7 Theorizing the Reference of Proper Names 7.1 Introduction 7.2 The Nature of Reference 7.2.1 Three-Place Relation 7.2.2 Speaker’s Reference 7.3 Intuitions About Reference 7.3.1 Intuitions as Evidence 7.3.2 Revisiting the Expertise Defense 7.4 The Mechanism of Reference 7.4.1 The Monist Position 7.4.2 The Pluralist Position 7.4.2.1 The Hybrid View 7.4.2.2 The Ambiguous View 7.4.3 Taking Stock 7.5 Summary Notes 8 Conclusions 8.1 Major Findings 8.2 Implications 8.3 Contributions 8.4 Limitations 8.5 Future Directions Note Appendix Vignettes in Study 1 Instructions The Discovery of Allheal The Little Monk’s Pictures The Walter Museum The Super Dog Race The Discovery of Claymen Bibliography Index