On Russell's Description Theory

Bertrand Russell(1872--1970)is a world-famous English philosopher and mathematical logician.It is generally believed in academic circles that Russell's description theory considered a “model of philosophy” is a classic work of applying the logical method to the philosophical analysis.Russell's Theory of Description research findings have significant theoretical and practical values.On one hand,the findings help us further understand Russell's academic research and the development of modern logic and analytical philosophy.On the other hand,they promote the in-depth study of non-logical words and modern logic.The background of Russell's study on descriptions is roughly listed as follows: great progress in modern logic from Leibniz,Frege to Russell;the puzzles about references and the defects of the previous theory of references;three characteristics of Russell's philosophy research:(1)Adhering to the philosophical view of logical atomism;(2)Distinguishing between the intimate knowledge and the descriptive knowledge;(3)Building the system of the mathematical philosophy.In fact,Russell's study on descriptions has gone through a developing process,which is closely related to his theoretical researches on first-order logic and his proficiency in corresponding the analytical methods of modern logic.In 1905,at the early stage of Russell's study on descriptions,he published On Denoting.Russell and Whitehead's book Principia Mathematica hadn't been published yet at this time when Russell was actually working hard at modern logic and attempting to derive mathematics from it.In the paper On Denoting,Russell adopted the method of following the academic habits of the previous theories.As a result,he attached more importance to the epistemological principles and the effects of his theory,involving relatively less as to the first-order logic.In this period,descriptions was defined as a special reference phrase.From 1910 to 1913,three volumes of Principia Mathematica came out successively.In 1918,Russell published his essay The Philosophy of Logical Atomism.In the year of 1919,the book Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy was published.These all marked the second stage of Russell's study on descriptions.At this stage,Russell's study on descriptions includes not only the reorientation of descriptions— an incomplete symbol,but also the skilful application of the first-order logic technology to rewrite the propositions which contain some description,as well as the construction of the propositions of description.In addition,Russell also discussed the "primary occurrence" and "secondary occurrence" of descriptions as well as the extension of descriptions.Russell's description theory has great significance.Firstly,this theory effectively solves the problems about references in the history of philosophy.Secondly,it greatly promotes the emergence and development of modern logic.Thirdly,it improved Russell's philosophy system of logical atomism.However,there are some limitations in this theory.Firstly,the definition of descriptions and their nature are too extreme.Secondly,it is evident that context factors are insufficient in Russell's theory.Thirdly,this theory ignores the sphere of application of the law of excluded middle.Fourthly,there exist discrepancy about language applicability in the rewriting techniques.