What McDowell means by this “restriction” and how he thinks a version of Russell’s Theory of Descriptions freed from it

Full Answer Section

McDowell argues for a "restriction" on this theory. He believes that Russell's approach goes too far and excludes important aspects of how we use language to refer to things in the world. McDowell argues that successful reference doesn't always require fulfilling all the descriptive content of a phrase. For example, if you say "the red car" while pointing to a car that's actually slightly maroon, your reference can still be successful even though the car isn't perfectly red.

How Restriction Helps with Philosophical Difficulties:

McDowell believes that by relaxing Russell's strict approach, we can address some longstanding philosophical problems about the relationship between thought and reality. Here are some potential applications:

• Intentionality: Our thoughts often have a content that refers to the world. McDowell argues that the restricted theory allows us to explain how thoughts can be about things in the world without requiring perfect descriptions.
• Perception: When we perceive something, we don't always have complete and accurate information. The restriction allows us to understand how perception can connect us to the world even with some degree of error.
• A Priori Knowledge: Some philosophers believe we have knowledge independent of experience (a priori knowledge). The restriction allows us to explain how such knowledge might be possible without requiring perfect descriptions of the world.

Overall, McDowell's argument is that by relaxing the strictures of Russell's theory, we can better understand how language refers to the world and how our thoughts connect with reality, even with some degree of imperfection.

Sample Answer

McDowell on the Restriction and Russell's Theory of Descriptions

John McDowell, a prominent contemporary philosopher, argues for a "restriction" on applying Bertrand Russell's Theory of Descriptions. Here's a breakdown of his perspective:

Russell's Theory of Descriptions:

This theory, developed by Bertrand Russell, aimed to solve the problem of referring expressions like "the tallest mountain in the world" or "the current king of France." These phrases might seem to denote something, but what happens if there is no tallest mountain or no current king? Russell's theory argued that such expressions are complex and don't directly refer to objects. Instead, they involve a descriptive phrase and an existential quantifier ("there exists"). So, "the tallest mountain in the world" becomes something like "there exists one and only one mountain that is taller than all other mountains." This avoids the problem of referring to non-existent entities.