‘This is false’ on the prosentential theory

The prosentential theory of truth is a theory in which 'is true' has a prosentential role. In simple cases, this means that, as a prosentence of laziness, 'That is true' stands in for its antecedent. Proforms of laziness acquire their content from antecedent expressions. If for s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analysis (Oxford) 1976-01, Vol.36 (2), p.80-83
Main Author: Grover, Dorothy L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Laziness
Pronouns
Prosentences
Referents
Syntactical antecedents
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Summary:The prosentential theory of truth is a theory in which 'is true' has a prosentential role. In simple cases, this means that, as a prosentence of laziness, 'That is true' stands in for its antecedent. Proforms of laziness acquire their content from antecedent expressions. If for some reason an antecedent lacks content, the prosentence lacks content also -- e.g., the problems of 'he' in 'The king of France is bald, and he is wise.' There is such a failure to acquire content in the case of 'This is false.' As a modified prosentence, it relies on its antecedent for content, but it is, unfortunately, its own antecedent, & fails as an independent supplier of content. A strange sentence, but not paradoxical. AA
ISSN:0003-2638
1467-8284
DOI:10.1093/analys/36.2.80