基于罗素摹状论分析There-be存在构式——“存在”能否作谓词的思考

The Analysis of There-be Existential Construction Based on Russell's Description Theory——A Reflection on Whether “Exist” Can Be Used as Predicate

罗素是指称论之集大成者,信守毕因论承诺,反思亚里士多德的"S—P模板",认为在命题主词位置上出现的名词必须在我们的世界中有实际的指称对象,不必再说其存在。若说,则为冗余句;若用空名作主词,再说其存在,此为矛盾句。它们虽符合"S—P"模板的语法规则,但却掩藏着不同的深层逻辑结构。解决这一问题的可行之法是:通过"量化一般陈述"和"消解空指主语到谓词"的方法来揭示其逻辑结构,从而开创了通过语言分析解决西方哲学中存在与思维问题的语言论转向。英语there-be存在构式中接NP作主语时,一般要求用非限定性NP,国内英语语法书对此鲜有提及,更未见理论解释。本文尝试运用罗素的摹状论来解释这一语法现象。

Russell comprehensively epitomized the theory of referentialism,adhering to onotological commitment,and criticizing"S-P Pattern"by Aristotle.He thought that the NP in the subject position of a proposition should refer to a real object in our world.If so,it is unnecessary to say it exists,otherwise it is redundant.If the subject position is occupied by an empty name,it is contradictory to say it exists,for it might cover a deep logical structure of different types although its grammatical structure is right for S-P Pattern.The possible approach to solve this problem is to rewrite this kind of subject as Quantified General Statements and resolve it into predicate in order to discover the deep logical structure of the proposition,thus initiating the linguistic turn in western philosophy by way of language analysis for the solution of existence-thought problem.In there-be existential construction in English,NP as subject is usually indefinite.English Grammar books at home have rarely mentioned this phenomenon,not to speak of explanation.The present paper attempts to explain this by means of Russell’s Description Theory.