Towards a Re-Evaluation of On Denoting

Russell’s article “On Denoting” [OD] [Russell (1905d)] owes its fame to the Theory of Descriptions [ToD] contained in it. Ever since the Second World War increasing attention has been paid to OD’s peculiar character, its background and the Gray’s Elegy Argument [GEA] occurring in it. All current attempts to evaluate this argument are based on the presupposition that it somehow supports the ToD. Without going into the exegesis of the GEA, it is urged that this presupposition is at variance with the structure, import and history of OD itself.