"The haberdasher of Mr. Spurgeon is bald"

Grice's first example of a definite description in "Vacuous Names".

"Let's call him Bill".

Grice finds an intutive difference between individual constants and descriptive terms.

There is a legtimate transition, via E. G., from a formula containing a non-dominant individual constant to the related 'weak' existential form.

~3F1a2
______
Therefore, Ex4~3F1x2

However, no such transition is available in the case of descripts.

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The following is not licensed:

~G1ix2F1x2
______
Therefore, Ex4~3G1x2

In natural parlance:

"I have ... [an] inclination to say

that, if Mr. Spurgeon has no

haberdasher, it would be TRUE",

if odd, [Grice says 'though no doubt conversationally odd', indeed!]

"to say, 'It is NOT the case

that Mr. Spurgeon's haberdasher is bald'".

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At this point one wonders: who cares for 'conversationally odd, provided 'true' -- after all, it's Quality Reigns!

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Grice goes on:

and this,

"eventhough no one has EVEN suggested

or imagined that Mr. Spurgeon

has a haberdasher."

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