Words ithout Objects Semantics, Ontology, and Logic for Non-Singularity [Hardcover]

A picture of the world as chiefly one of discrete objects, distributed in space and time, has sometimes seemed compelling. It is however one of the main targets of Henry Laycock's book; for it is seriously incomplete. The picture, he argues, leaves no space for stuff like air and water. With discrete objects, we may always ask how many?, but with stuff the question has to be how much? Laycock's fascinating exploration also addresses key logical and linguistic questions about the way we categorize the many and the much.

Introduction
1. A proposed semantical solution to the so-called 'problem of mass nouns'
2. In thrall to the idea of The One
3. Non-count descriptions and non-singularity
4. Quantification and its discontents
5. The Ideal Language project and the non-discrete
Appendix I: Atomism
Appendix II: Substances and physical objects: Quine's labyrinth
Appendix III: Reductive approaches to non-singularity
Appendix IV: The gradual transition from count nouns to pure non-count nouns

WWOis an enjoyable polemic that grapples with some of the interesting and confusing issues of non-singularity, bringing semantic, ontic and logical considerations to bear on the puzzling phenomenon of non-singular nouns....Words Without Objectsis a worthwhile read for anyone interested in some of the philosophical considerations regarding the many and the much. ...the book contains some very insightful and interesting arguments about a very difficult topic, and provides some delightful philosophical back-story. --Adam Sennet,Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews