ABSTRACT
Attributives are of different kinds. A large mouse is large for a mouse, but a mere child is not mere for a child. Adjectives like ‘bogus’ or ‘alleged’, which repudiate or cast doubt on the application of the following noun, occasionally called alienans, may or may not be called attributive. See also CATEGORIES, GOOD. J.Brentlinger, ‘Incomplete predicates and the two-world theory of the Phaedo,’
Phronesis, 1972, p. 71 note 13. (Brief discussion, with references.) P.T.Geach, ‘Good and evil’, Analysis, vol. 17, 1956-7. (Explains distinction and claims
‘good’ is always logically attributive.) W.V.O.Quine, Word and Object, MIT Press, 1960. (See p. 103 for ‘mere child’ example.)
. 354-430. Born in North Africa, he was converted to Christianity in his early thirties, and became bishop of Hippo in 395 or 396. His philosophical interests turned progressively into theological ones, and he strongly influenced medieval thought, in ways somewhat contrasting with the current represented by ARISTOTLE and AQUINAS. His personal religious experience urged him to extricate himself from scepticism, and led him to study the types of knowledge (perception, reason, etc.). He tried to work out the nature of man in a Christian framework, and studied problems concerning the universe and its creation, the mind/body problem, freewill, and, now often regarded as his most lasting philosophical contribution, the nature of time (see SPACE). He also discussed ethical and
(in the City of God) political topics. He started from a generally PLATONIC and NEOPLATONIC base. His important writings containing philosophical material include the Confessions (400), De Libero Arbitrio (freewill, and proof of God’s existence), City of God (late in life and largely theological), De Genesi ad Litteram (late; a commentary on Genesis). W.J.Oates (ed.) Basic Writings of Saint Augustine (2 vols), Random House, 1948. (Vol. 1
has Confessions and other works; vol. 2 has The City of God and On the Trinity.)
. 1911-60. British philosopher who worked in Oxford where he was one of the leaders of ‘linguistic PHILOSOPHY’ after the Second World War. He emphasized the philosophical significance of the nuances of ordinary language, and is mainly noted for his theory of SPEECH ACTS. ‘Ifs and Cans’, 1960. ‘A Pleas for Excuses’, 1956. (Two lectures relevant to FREEWILL, and reprinted in his Collected Papers, 1961.) Sense and Sensibilia, 1962 (attacks SENSEDATUM theory of AYER). How to Do Things with Words, 1962 (main source for speech act theory). See also CONDITIONALS, EPISTEMOLOGY, LANGUAGE (PHILOSOPHY OF), MEANING, SCEPTICISM, TRUTH.
