La semántica de los nombres propios en la filosofía medieval

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to offer a survey of the main theories dealing with the semantics of proper names in the Middle Ages. These theories are classified in a way similar to the recent ones, following the criterion of concession of sense besides reference to proper names, and the reduction of meaning to referentiality in them. Besides reference, some authors concede a sense to proper names, as Boethius, who says that such sense is an *ad hoc* attribute —in a manner similar to the Stoics and Quine—, and the same is said by Roger Bacon; other authors looked at sense as definite descriptions (*i. e.*, accidental or descriptive definitions) associated to these names —in a way akin to Frege—, as Saint Anselm, Peter Abelard, William of Sherwood, John Buridan and Saint Vincent Ferrer; finally, referentialists are Peter of Spain and William of Ockham.