📖 Overview
David Kaplan is an American philosopher and logician known for his influential work in the philosophy of language, metaphysics, and logic. His contributions to the theory of demonstratives, semantics, and the study of names and reference have shaped modern philosophical discourse.
Kaplan's most cited work is his 1977 paper "Demonstratives," which introduced an influential theory about indexicals and demonstratives in language. He developed the distinction between character and content in semantic theory, and his work on direct reference theory has become fundamental to contemporary philosophy of language.
During his career at UCLA, where he served as the Hans Reichenbach Professor of Scientific Philosophy, Kaplan made significant contributions to modal logic and intensional logic. His work on the logic of demonstratives led to the development of what is now known as "Kaplan's Logic."
In addition to his theoretical work, Kaplan has written extensively about Gottlob Frege and other historical figures in logic and philosophy of language. He continues to influence contemporary debates about meaning, reference, and the relationship between language and thought.
👀 Reviews
Readers across academic and philosophical forums respect Kaplan's technical precision and his impact on formal semantics. His papers receive attention primarily from philosophy students, professors, and researchers.
Readers appreciated:
- Clear explanations of complex concepts in "Demonstratives"
- Formal rigor in analyses of indexicals and direct reference
- Useful examples that illuminate abstract ideas
- Historical scholarship on Frege and other logicians
Common criticisms:
- Dense, technical writing style makes works inaccessible to beginners
- Limited availability of some key papers outside academic institutions
- Lack of practical applications or real-world examples
On Goodreads and PhilPapers, Kaplan's works receive frequent citations but few public reviews due to their specialized academic nature. His papers appear frequently on philosophy course syllabi and reading lists. Academic citation indexes show high impact factors for "Demonstratives" and his work on direct reference theory.
Online philosophy forums like r/askphilosophy regularly recommend Kaplan's papers for advanced study of formal semantics and philosophy of language.
📚 Books by David Kaplan
The Language of Thought (1975)
A technical examination of the relationship between thought and language, exploring the hypothesis that thinking occurs in a mental language with its own syntax and rules.
Demonstratives (1977) An influential paper on the semantics of demonstrative terms like "this" and "that," introducing the distinction between character and content in meaning.
Dthat (1978) A brief but significant work introducing the "dthat" operator and developing theories about direct reference in philosophical logic.
On the Logic of Demonstratives (1978) A formal treatment of the logic of demonstrative expressions, expanding on earlier work about indexicals and direct reference.
Quantifying In (1969) An analysis of the problems of quantifying into modal and belief contexts, addressing issues in modal logic and propositional attitudes.
Almog, Perry, and Wettstein (1989) A collection of essays on themes in philosophical semantics, focusing on reference, belief, and propositional attitudes.
Afterthoughts (1989) A follow-up work addressing questions and criticisms raised by his earlier writings on demonstratives and direct reference.
Words (1990) An examination of word meaning and the relationship between words and their referents in natural language.
Demonstratives (1977) An influential paper on the semantics of demonstrative terms like "this" and "that," introducing the distinction between character and content in meaning.
Dthat (1978) A brief but significant work introducing the "dthat" operator and developing theories about direct reference in philosophical logic.
On the Logic of Demonstratives (1978) A formal treatment of the logic of demonstrative expressions, expanding on earlier work about indexicals and direct reference.
Quantifying In (1969) An analysis of the problems of quantifying into modal and belief contexts, addressing issues in modal logic and propositional attitudes.
Almog, Perry, and Wettstein (1989) A collection of essays on themes in philosophical semantics, focusing on reference, belief, and propositional attitudes.
Afterthoughts (1989) A follow-up work addressing questions and criticisms raised by his earlier writings on demonstratives and direct reference.
Words (1990) An examination of word meaning and the relationship between words and their referents in natural language.
👥 Similar authors
Michael Lewis writes narrative non-fiction about financial markets, sports, and technology with deep investigative reporting. His books explore the human drama behind complex systems and institutions, similar to Kaplan's approach to business storytelling.
Bryan Burrough specializes in detailed accounts of corporate dealings and Wall Street culture from the 1980s and 1990s. His research methodology involves extensive interviews and document analysis to reconstruct major business events.
James B. Stewart focuses on power, money, and corporate crime through character-driven narratives based on insider accounts. His work combines financial analysis with investigative journalism to expose misconduct in business and finance.
Roger Lowenstein chronicles financial markets and investment culture through historical analysis and biographical elements. He examines the personalities and decision-making processes behind significant market events and institutional changes.
William D. Cohan writes about Wall Street's internal workings and power dynamics based on his experience as a former banker. His books reveal the mechanics of financial deals and corporate governance through detailed accounts of specific transactions and conflicts.
Bryan Burrough specializes in detailed accounts of corporate dealings and Wall Street culture from the 1980s and 1990s. His research methodology involves extensive interviews and document analysis to reconstruct major business events.
James B. Stewart focuses on power, money, and corporate crime through character-driven narratives based on insider accounts. His work combines financial analysis with investigative journalism to expose misconduct in business and finance.
Roger Lowenstein chronicles financial markets and investment culture through historical analysis and biographical elements. He examines the personalities and decision-making processes behind significant market events and institutional changes.
William D. Cohan writes about Wall Street's internal workings and power dynamics based on his experience as a former banker. His books reveal the mechanics of financial deals and corporate governance through detailed accounts of specific transactions and conflicts.