The Research On Referntial Theory Of Hilary Putnam

The referential theory of Hilary Putnam is of great importance to philosophy andlinguistics. His referential theory is developed on the basis of generations of philosophers’study. To study his theory, not only can give rise to concerns about the referential theorybut also can be found inadequate, thereby supplements or amends it.The researches in China on the theory most focus on Pullman’s single stage or onsome opinion of his theory. However, this article which is developed beyond routinesstudy some opinions of the theory of reference. And based on this study, we find someshortages of Putnam’s referential theory and summarize the problems of the referentialcertainty, the referential problems of natural kind words, the referential problems ofscientific theory words. Besides, from the basic concepts, the article analyzes theshortcomings of “chain of causation” as well as some personal opinions about the theoryof natural kind words. For example, the reference of natural kind words is the productionof both “internal structure” and “the same stereotype”. This article also clarifies somevague concepts, such as,“the same liquid relationship” does not refer to the “internalstructure”, and “reference” is different from the “cognitive reference”. Taking Putnam’sreferential theory as the body, the article analyzes some basic opinions and put forward tosome suggestions. Some of the opinions about reference and some point of views of eachthe opinion are all trivial but important. Therefore, the article analyzes and sorts somedetailed problems in application of causal analysis and structure analysis method aftersummarizing the theory of reference.Referential issue is a topic with no end, the research on Putnam’s referential theorycan deepen the understanding of referential issue, and this is one of the tasks ofphilosophy’s advance. People also can combine with the theory, change the values ofself-awareness and raise the level of awareness of things after understand referential issue.