Quine set Davidson on a course in philosophy quite different from that of Whitehead. Davidson's dissertation topic is mentioned only in passim in most encyclopedia entries. This is unfortunate, for one can see the development of Davidson's philosophical method in his dissertation. More important, one can trace Davidson's epistemological position back to Plato's. Davidson's Sentences and Wittgenstein's Builders Article by John Perry.
Words stand for things of various kinds and for various kinds of things.
Because words do this, the sentences made up of words mean what they do, and are capable of expressing our thoughts, our beliefs and conjectures, desires and wishes. This simple idea seems right to me, but it flies in the face of formidable authority. If we could give the desired analysis or reduction of the concept of reference then all would, I suppose, be clear sailing. It is often called the building-block theory. It has often been tried.