What is your answer?

By Russell's theory of descriptions, "The present King of France doesn't exist" means

    { 1 } - "This entity (the present King of France) has the property of nonexistence."
    { 2 } - "It is false that there is exactly one person who is presently King of France."

<= back | menu | forward =>
Directions: Click on a number from 1 to 2.
























 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

























1 is wrong. Please try again.

By Russell's theory of descriptions, "The present King of France doesn't exist" means

The first translation is absurd. If we misunderstand the statement this way, then we'll accept nonexistent entities into our ontology.

The second translation better reveals the statement's meaning. It shows that we can accept that France is a kingless-republic without accepting nonexistent entities.

<= back | menu | forward =>
























 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

























2 is correct!

By Russell's theory of descriptions, "The present King of France doesn't exist" means

    { 1 } - "This entity (the present King of France) has the property of nonexistence."
    { 2 } - "It is false that there is exactly one person who is presently King of France."

The first translation is absurd. If we misunderstand the statement this way, then we'll accept nonexistent entities into our ontology.

The second translation better reveals the statement's meaning. It shows that we can accept that France is a kingless-republic without accepting nonexistent entities.

<= back | menu | forward =>
Before continuing, you might try some wrong answers.
























 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

























the end