Keith Donnellan

Keith Donnellan
Born(1931-06-25)June 25, 1931
DiedFebruary 20, 2015(2015-02-20) (aged 83)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCornell University
Notable work"Reference and Definite Descriptions", "Proper Names and Identifying Descriptions", "Speaking of Nothing"
EraContemporary philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolAnalytic philosophy
InstitutionsUCLA
Main interests
Philosophy of language
Notable ideas
Causal-historical theory of reference[1]
The "referential" and "attributive use" distinction
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Keith Sedgwick Donnellan (/ˈdɒnələn/; June 25, 1931[2] – February 20, 2015) was an American philosopher and professor of philosophy (later professor emeritus) at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Donnellan contributed to the philosophy of language, notably to the analysis of proper names and definite descriptions. He criticized Bertrand Russell's theory of definite descriptions for overlooking the distinction between referential and attributive use of definite descriptions.[3][4]

Donnellan spent most of his career at UCLA,[5] having also previously taught at the university where he had earned his PhD, Cornell University.

  1. ^ Names (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
  2. ^ "Keith Sedgwick Donnellan". Oxford Reference. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  3. ^ Lycan, William G., Philosophy of Language - a contemporary introduction (2000), pp. 26-30
  4. ^ "Keith Donnellan (1931-2015)". February 20, 2015.
  5. ^ Almog, Joseph; Leonardi, Paolo (2012). Having in Mind: The Philosophy of Keith Donnellan. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199844845.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-993350-1.