Aquinas on Answering the « Is It ? » Question about Singulars

What the ʼIsʼ Signifies in the Proposition « Socrates is »

Authors

  • Gregory T. Doolan The Catholic University of America, Washington DC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19272/202500701003

Keywords:

Actuality, Truth, Copula, Signification, Consignification

Abstract

In this paper, I respond to the position of Lawrence Dewan and Stephen Brock that the answer to the question « Is it ? » is always made according to the sense of ‘is’ that signifies the truth of the composition of a proposition. Looking at Aquinas’s semantic theory, I argue that one exception to this rule concerns the answer to the « Is it ? » question when asked of a singular substance such as Socrates. In this case, the ‘is’ in the proposition « Socrates is » signifies the actuality of Socrates rather than the truth of the proposition. In the course of this investigation, I clarify aspects of Aquinas semantic theory as regards his views on the copula and its signification.

Published

24-03-2025

How to Cite

Doolan, Gregory T. “Aquinas on Answering the « Is It ? » Question about Singulars: What the ʼIsʼ Signifies in the Proposition « Socrates Is »”. Acta Philosophica 34, no. 1 (March 24, 2025): 27–48. Accessed April 2, 2025. https://www.actaphilosophica.it/article/view/4742.

Issue

Section

Studies