论蒯因关于实体的认可标准及其困难

On the Difficulties of Quine's Standards of Ontological Admissibility

蒯因对内涵对象的拒斥带来许多问题和困难,他的两个核心议题是对涵义的同一性条件的否定,和对实体认可标准的提倡,即"没有同一性,就没有实体"。认可标准势必导致循环论证或无穷倒退,最终导致一种绝对的怀疑论。事实上,蒯因还提出另一实体判别标准,即"存在就是约束变项的值"。这一实体判别标准是恰当的和可行的。

Dispensing with intentional objects may result in many problems. There are two core premises in Quine＇s argument. The first orie is the doubt to the identity of meaning, and the second one is the advocate of ontological admissibility standards, i.e. the slogan ＂No entity without identity＂. The advocate of the ontological admissibility standards will results in either circular reasoning or infinite regress, which would lead to the absolute skepticism. In fact, there is another criterion, i.e. the slogan ＂To be is to be the value of a variable＂, which is called the criterion of ontological com- mitment. The latter criterion is appropriate and feasible.