Semantic Relationism

Reviews / Votes

"Combines careful, detailed argumentation with inspiration and synoptic vision for the bigger picture. ... One can reasonably expect Fine's book to be a spur for thinking about these issues for many years to come." (Mind, October 2009)"With characteristic brilliance and rigor, Kit Fine advancesa radically new conception of semantic structure that casts lightfrom an unexpected direction on the nature of compositionality andthe theory of direct reference." Tim Williamson, Oxford University "How can two sentences represent the world as beingprecisely the same way, yet differ in meaning, and expresspropositions that are rationally believed in differentcircumstances? Echoing themes initially broached by suchphilosophers as Hilary Putnam and David Kaplan, Kit Fine answerswith a novel conception of semantics uniting the two-sidedconnection of meaning with mind and world, and culminating in aningenious, representationalist theory designed to incorporatecontemporary Millianism while accommodating traditional Fregeanintuitions. A delight to read, the book will be mined for its ideasand arguments for years to come." Scott Soames, University of Southern California