Word and object
By: Willard Van Orman Quine.
Publisher: M.I.T. Press
Published: 1960
Place of publication: Cambridge, Mass
Language: eng
Number of pages: 294
Subjects: Semantics (Philosophy); Logic, Symbolic and mathematical.; Language and languages -- Philosophy.
First sentence: This familiar desk manifests its presence by resisting my pressures and by deflecting light to my eyes.
Description: Language consists of dispositions, socially instilled, to respond observably to socially observable stimuli. This book examines the linguistic mechanisms of objective reference. Topics covered include the difficulties involved in translation, the anomalies and conflicts implicit in our language's referential apparatus, the semantic problems connected with the imputation of existence, and the reasons for admitting or repudiating each of various categories of supposed objects. Conclusions reached include rejecting the notion of a language-transcendent "sentence-meaning", and meaningful studies in the semantics of reference can only be directed toward substantially the same language in which they are conducted.  (From publisher's copy)
Notes: Title on spine: Word & object.

Includes index.

Bibliography: p. 277-285.
Table of contents: title: Preface
pagenum: ix; title: Contents
pagenum: xiii; label: I
title: Language and Truth; label: 1
title: Beginning with ordinary things
pagenum: 1; label: 2
title: The objective pull;, or e pluribus unum
pagenum: 5; label: 3
title: The inteanimation of sentences
pagenum: 9; label: 4
title: Ways of leanring words
pagenum: 13; label: 5
title: Evidence
pagenum: 17; label: 6
title: Posits and truth
pagenum: 21; label: II
title: Translation and Meaning; label: 7
title: First steps of a radical translation
pagenum: 26; label: 8
title: Stimulation and stimulus meaning
pagenum: 31; label: 9
title: Occasion sentences.  Intrusive information
pagenum: 35; label: 10
title: Observation sentences
pagenum: 40; label: 11
title: Intrasubjectiv synonymy of occasion sentences
pagenum: 46; label: 12
title: Synonymy of terms
pagenum: 51; label: 13
title: Translating logical connectives
pagenum: 57; label: 14
title: Synonymous and anlytic sentences
pagenum: 61; label: 15
title: Analytical hypotheses
pagenum: 68; label: 16
title: On failure to perceive the indeterminacy
pagenum: 73; label: III
title: The Ontogenesis of Reference; label: 17
title: Words and qualities
pagenum: 80; label: 18
title: Phonetic norms
pagenum: 85; label: 19
title: Divided reference
pagenum: 90; label: 20
title: Predication
pagenum: 95; label: 21
title: Demonstratives.  Attributives
pagenum: 100; label: 22
title: Relative terms.  Four phases of reference
pagenum: 105; label: 23
title: Relative clauses.  Indefinite singular terms
pagenum: 110; label: 24
title: Identity
pagenum: 114; label: 25
title: Abstract terms
pagenum: 118; label: IV
title: Vagaries of Reference; label: 26
title: Vagueness
pagenum: 125; label: 27
title: Ambiguity of terms
pagenum: 129; label: 28
title: Some ambiguities of syntax
pagenum: 134; label: 29
title: Ambiguity of scope
pagenum: 138; label: 30
title: Referential opacity
pagenum: 141; label: 31
title: Opacity and indefinite terms
pagenum: 146; label: 32
title: Opacity in certian verbs
pagenum: 151; label: V
title: Regimentation; label: 33
title: Aims and claims of regimentation
pagenum: 157; label: 34
title: Quantifiers and other operators
pagenum: 161; label: 35
title: Variables and referential opacity
pagenum: 166; label: 36
title: Time.  Confinement of general terms
pagenum: 170; label: 37
title: Names reparsed
pagenum: 176; label: 38
title: Conciliatory remarks.  Elimination of singular terms
pagenum: 181; label: 39
title: Definition and the double life
pagenum: 186; label: VI
title: Flight from Intension; label: 40
title: Propositions and eternal sentences
pagenum: 191; label: 41
title: Modality
pagenum: 195; label: 42
title: Propositions as meanings
pagenum: 200; label: 43
title: Toward dispensing with intensional objects
pagenum: 206; label: 44
title: Other objects for the attitudes
pagenum: 211; label: 45
title: The double standard
pagenum: 216; label: 46
title: Dispositions and conditionals
pagenum: 222; label: 47
title: A framework for theory
pagenum: 226; label: VII
title: Ontic Decision; label: 48
title: Nominalism and realism
pagenum: 233; label: 49
title: Fals predilections.  Ontic commitment
pagenum: 238; label: 50
title: Entia non grata
pagenum: 243; label: 51
title: Limit mythis
pagenum: 248; label: 52
title: Geometrical objects
pagenum: 251; label: 53
title: The ordered pair as philosophical paradigm
pagenum: 257; label: 54
title: Numbers, mind, and body
pagenum: 262; label: 55
title: Whither classes?
pagenum: 266; label: 56
title: Semantic ascent
pagenum: 270; title: Bibliographical References
pagenum: 277; title: Index
pagenum: 287