READING REPORT The Demonstrative Theory Of Quotation By: Stefano Predelli

The Davidsons demonstratic theory of pure quotation about character external aspects must be developed. Quotation may be analyzed from a demonstrative viewpoint only on the basis of an approach to meaning that merges with a general theory of truth in unexpected and in all likelihood non-Davidsonian ways. For example, the word Boston. According to Davison, the word Boston is importantly analogous to other instances of discourse about expressions, in particular examples involving quotation marks, such as Boston that contains six letters. this analogy along theoretically tractable and fruitful lines is the so-called demonstrative theory of quotation.3 The aim of this section is to summarize and develop some of the central traits of the demonstrative theory. According to Garcia Carpintero, quotation marks are like an abbreviation of demonstrative and reflected by the project of accounting for some expressions. quotation marks be understood by appealing to Braun-demonstratives hardly suffices as a solution to the apparent problem raised. Even though Braun does not provide formal definitions of truth and equivalence within his formal apparatus, since his contexts do not determine demonstrations. The view put straightforwardly conforms to the characteristic features of a demonstrative theory of quotation ; though it does in all likelihood considerably differ from the version of that theory Davidson may actually have had in mind. The development of the demonstrative theory of quotation defended, the class of contexts of use for certain sentences may also bedefined, on the basis of the use-constraints conventionally associated with certain expressions, as character-external parts of their meaning. It follows that in these cases results of selfverifiability may adequately be taken as reflecting intuitions pertaining to truth by virtue of

meaning alone, that is, as conforming to the sort of intuitions to which Cappelen and Lepore appeal. A semantic framework appropriate for the demonstrative theory of pure quotation, and the demonstrative theory is well equipped for dealing with crucial instances involving disquotation. The demonstrative theory of quotation fails to merge seamlessly with a general theory of truth for the sentences of the language, of the sort Davidson was likely to have in mind.