Seminar 5: Russell " on Denoting " , Part 1

“By a “denoting phrase” I mean a phrase such as any one of the following: [here the reader should supply quotes around each phrase] a man, some man, any man, every man, all men, the present King of England, the present King of France, the centre of mass of the Solar System at the first instant of the twentieth century, the revolution of the earth round the sun, the revolution of the sun round the earth. Thus a phrase is denoting solely in virtue of its form. We may distinguish three cases: (1) A phrase may be denoting, and yet not denote anything; e.g., “the present King of France”. (2) A phrase may denote one definite object; e.g., “the present King of England”. (3) A phrase may denote ambiguously; e.g., ‘a man’ denotes not many men, but an ambiguous man.” (p. 479)