A More General Theory of Definite Descriptions

Abstract

1jussell's analysis of definite descriptions works well enough for definite singular descriptions like 'the author of Waverley', which are formed from a singular count predicate like 'is an author of Waverley'. The Russellian analysis fails when the contained predicate is mass or plural, as in the definite descriptions 'the gold in Zurich' and 'the people in Auckland'. I offer a unified theory that accounts for all three types of definite description, and that provides a more general account of the word 'the'.