Abstract for Welker's "Mind" essay on 'Linguistic Nominalism'

THIS ESSAY IS AN EXAMINATION OF THE THESIS, EXPRESSED BY H.P. GRICE, THAT MEANING IN THE TIMELESS SENSE IS TO BE EXPLAINED IN TERMS OF WHAT USERS OF A SIGN MEAN BY IT ON PARTICULAR OCCASIONS. THE THESIS IS SHOWN TO BE PRESUPPOSED BY LINGUISTIC ACT THEORIES OF MEANING. GRICE'S OWN VERSION OF LINGUISTIC NOMINALISM FAILS BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY OF RECOGNIZING PERLOCUTIONARY INTENTIONS WITHOUT PLACING THEM IN THE WIDER CONTEXT OF ILLOCUTIONARY ACT THEORY. ALSTON'S ILLOCUTIONARY ACT THEORY IS THEN CONSIDERED AS A KIND OF LINGUISTIC NOMINALISM. ON THIS VIEW, WE ARE LED TO A POSSIBLE INFINITE REGRESS. BUT THE THEORY IS REGARDED AS TENABLE BECAUSE THE REGRESS IS BENIGN.