A Study On The Theory Of Descriptions Based On Situation Semantics

Since the turn of the philosophy of language at the beginning of the 20th century,the theory of descriptions has been the core of the philosophy of logic,the philosophy of language and the philosophy of the mind.These problems,which discussed on the meaning,the use,the reference of language,and the mental belief factors in language,are related to the descriptions.Up to now,the evolution of the theory of descriptions has gone through a century.It has clarified the relevant issues,and promoted the revolution of research methods.The results about it are extremely rich.However,the research on the theory of descriptions has also showing a complex state in today.It is best exemplified that the many competing views are presented on theory of meaning which are seen as a fundamental theory.In the 1980s,situation semantics established by Barwise and Perry uses the theory of situations to re-examine the problem of the meaning of language,and established ituation semantics.It tried to quell the chaotic state of meaning,and clarify some questions,such as the reference and use of language,and even reveal the efficiency which represented mental be liefs by language.As tradition,the new theory of descrptions,developed on the basis of situation semantics,is also one of the core issues in which.However,among the protracted study on the theory of descriptions at home and abroad,the important value of situation semantics has not got enough attention.The main purpose of this paper is to explain the problems that related to the theory of descrptions through situation semantics.It is not only to display specifically relation theory of meaning in the theory of situations,which established by Barwise and Perry,but also demonstrate the theory of descriptions of situation semantics has an unique function of solving problems,when we put mental factors into the logic.For this purpose,the paper will discuss five aspects in some detail.Firstly,it explains the theoretical basis of relation theory of meaning systematically.This is the main content of the theory of situations.The answer to the question that" what is the meaning" is "meaning is relation",from relation theory of meaning's point of view.To achieve this,we must stand on the partial nature of the world,and define situation as a part of the world.We should put meaning which is seen as a relation in different situations,and base on the interactive relationship between the situations to reflect the meaning.Barwise and Perry set up a set of theoretical terms and systems to represent situations?It mainly consists of four kinds of basic uniformities,constituent sequence,situation-types,courses of events,event-types,contexts,indexed event-types,constraints and constraint-types,etc.It not only corresponds the situation to the external perceptive and real world,but also reveals the possibility that the mental beliefs maybe represented by situations.With the essence of methodology of Logical Actionism,the paper systematically reviews and interprets the basic part of the theory of situations in the light of the methodology of hierarchy Theory.It divides a series of situations into three levels,namely,the language,the external world and the inner mind.This can help us to understand the basic concept of the theory of situations and its efficiency.Secondly,based on the theory of situation,it sets up a basic frame of relation theory of meaning,and proves the descriptions is a typical language phenomenon.This is the realistic expansion of "meaning is the relation",and actually answers the question of "where is the meaning".Based on the theory of situations,the meaning should be in the relation between the situations,but the relation theory of meaning must be substantive development,then it can be appeared legitimate.For this purpose,Barwise and Perry construct a collection of situations,which namely structures of situations,with associated situations that be in relationship,and put meaning which is seen as a relation in different situations.But this is only the first step in the framework of meaning.Because we have to take language as a part of the situation into relation theory of meaning,it can reflect an intuitive reality that the meaning of language is an important part of the natural meaning of the world.It shows that the natural meaning of the world should be realized by meaning of language.Accordingly,it tries to expound a viewpoint that meaning of language meaning of language must be natural innocence in situation semantics.At the same time,it constructs the basic frame of relation theory of linguistic meaning,with the innocent view of language meaning.These can be regarded as the basis of situation semantics.On this basis,especially with innocence on semantic features and the frame of theory of linguistic meaning,it briefly demonstrates that descriptions is the typical of language phenomena.This is a transition to discuss the meaning and use of descriptions.Thirdly,it analyzes the meaning of descriptions by using situation semantics.To explore the meaning of descriptions is an important reason that the traditional theory of descriptions is seen as a paradigm of philosophy.Since Russell,the meaning of descriptions is usually associated with the problems of reference of descriptions,and the problem whether there is reference of descriptions is a key to whether descriptions is meaningful and where is meaning of it.According to it,Barwise and Perry distinguish two routes about traditional theory of descriptions:Russell-Frege-Searle's and Donnellan-Kripke's route.through the analysis,the paper analyzes the meaning of descriptions,and it shows that the meaning of descriptions isn't be decided by reference of it.In fact the meaning of descriptions is decided to a relation between discourse situations,speaker connections,descriptions and related described situation.However,as a special language phenomenon to descriptions,in the frame of relation meaning of it,there is a special kind of element,namely the individual setting.These five elements constitute a meaning relation model of descriptions.I try to prove that the two routes of traditional theory of descriptions,is only a special form of relation model of meaning of descriptions,from the point view of situation semantics,and it shows significant advantages specifically to relation theory of meaning.Fourthly,the paper analyzes five kinds of descriptions in view of the situation semantics.This is the further development of relation model of meaning of descriptions,and it answers "where the meaning" from the perspective of descriptions.For example,the meaningful contents of descriptions may be external referents,inner mental beliefs,and a combination of the two,or even only in the relationship itself etc..This part fully demonstrated the richness of theory of descriptions viewed by situation semantics.It can be enriched from traditional theory of descriptions,and directly face the reality cases in life.I properly analyze related questions with these rich contents,and will try to show the universality and profundity of the new theory.Furthermore,it tries to demonstrate two important issues:first,five uses in the new theory are not an accidental at will,but are a strict and necessary laws;second,thinking based on descriptions of meaning and use,it emphatically points that relation mechanism of meaning can effectively maintain the tension between certainty and relativity.Finally,I will elaborate the clues of names-description-sentences based on the new theory of descrption.This is the perfect part of the theory of descriptions,and a kind of macro model of situation semantics.Based on the theme of this paper,I focus on the comparative analysis of questions of meaning between names and descriptions,statements and descriptions,and reveal the advantages and disadvantages that descriptions interpret questions of meaning in the language phenomena.In addition,this part is devoted to the analysis of the unique role of descriptions in representing mental beliefs.It not only focuses on the mental beliefs in the previous parts,but also provides a guide to further research the problem that situation logic represents mental beliefs.Through the work above,four basic conclusions are obtained:1.Relation theory of meaning constructed by situation semantics is profundity and universality;2.The relation mechanism of meaning can explain the tension between certainty and relativity,in other words,a certain relation mechanism of meaning can obtain complex and various explanations.3.Mental beliefs are not only the factors that can not be ignored,but also can be possible characterized accurately with the help of situation semantics.It can make the mental elements play a role in the theory of logic,and make logic face natural language and real life.4.The theory of descriptions is a paradigm in the interpretation of three points above.