Naming And Necessity by Saul Kripke - Exam
- 1. Naming and Necessity, a groundbreaking work by philosopher Saul Kripke, published in 1980, fundamentally transformed the landscape of philosophy of language and metaphysics. In this influential text, Kripke critiques the descriptivist theory of names, which posited that a name is merely a shorthand for a set of descriptions that individuals associate with the referent. Instead, Kripke introduces the notion of rigid designators, asserting that names refer to the same object in all possible worlds where that object exists, thus emphasizing the distinction between necessity and contingency. He illustrates his arguments through thought experiments, such as the famous example of 'water' being a rigid designator that refers to H2O in every conceivable scenario, regardless of how we might describe it. This pivotal work not only challenges traditional views about reference and meaning but also has significant implications for understanding identity, modality, and the nature of knowledge. Kripke's insights have sparked extensive debates and further inquiries into how language interacts with reality, making 'Naming and Necessity' a cornerstone of contemporary philosophy.
What is the primary subject matter of 'Naming and Necessity'?
A) Ethics and morality
B) Political philosophy
C) Philosophy of language and metaphysics
D) Aesthetics and art theory
- 2. Kripke argues that proper names are what kind of designators?
A) Contextual designators
B) Flexible designators
C) Rigid designators
D) Descriptive designators
- 3. What is the 'modal argument' used to establish?
A) Names are rigid designators
B) Mathematics is synthetic
C) God's existence is necessary
D) Ethics is objective
- 4. What does Kripke mean by 'possible worlds'?
A) Ways the world could have been
B) Fictional worlds
C) Parallel universes
D) Mental representations
- 5. Kripke's theory is often called:
A) Speech act theory
B) Causal theory of reference
C) Ideal language theory
D) Descriptive theory of reference
- 6. What is the 'baptism' in Kripke's theory?
A) Metaphorical rebirth
B) Linguistic purification
C) Initial naming ceremony
D) Religious conversion
- 7. Kripke distinguishes between what two types of necessity?
A) Formal and material
B) Logical and physical
C) Moral and practical
D) Metaphysical and epistemic
- 8. According to Kripke, what fixes the reference of a name?
A) Descriptive content alone
B) Initial baptism and causal chain
C) Social utility
D) Speaker's intentions
- 9. Kripke's lectures were originally delivered at:
A) Oxford University
B) University of Chicago
C) Harvard University
D) Princeton University
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