Use–mention distinction
Difference between using a word and mentioning it / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Use-mention distinction?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
In analytic philosophy,[1] a fundamental distinction is made between the use of a term and the mere mention of it.[2][3] Many philosophical works have been "vitiated by a failure to distinguish use and mention".[2] The distinction can sometimes be pedantic, especially in simple cases where it is obvious.[2][4]
The distinction between use and mention can be illustrated with the word "cheese":[2][3]
- Cheese is derived from milk.
- "Cheese" is derived from the Old English word ċēse.
The first sentence is a statement about the substance called "cheese": it uses the word "cheese" to refer to that substance. The second is a statement about the word "cheese" as a signifier: it mentions the word without using it to refer to anything other than itself.