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VOL. 7, ISSUE 1 (2021)
Naming and necessity: Saul Kripke’s enduring impact on semantics
Authors
Shiben Kumar Sarkar
Abstract
Saul Kripke’s Naming and Necessity (1972/1980)
fundamentally transformed the philosophy of language, semantics, and
metaphysics. This review article assesses the work’s lasting influence by
examining its dismantling of descriptivism, its positive theses of rigid
designation and the causal‑historical theory of reference, and its distinction
between metaphysical necessity and epistemic a priori. The article surveys five
decades of critical engagement, including neo‑descriptivist responses, two‑dimensional
semantics, and empirical challenges from experimental philosophy and cognitive
science. It also traces Kripke’s profound impact on semantic externalism, the
metaphysics of essence, and contemporary theories of reference. The conclusion argues that Naming and
Necessity remains neither a closed doctrine nor an ongoing research program,
but rather a set of questions that continue to shape the core of analytic
philosophy.
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Pages:159-162
How to cite this article:
Shiben Kumar Sarkar "Naming and necessity: Saul Kripke’s enduring impact on semantics". International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, Vol 7, Issue 1, 2021, Pages 159-162
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