The Problem of the Essential Indexical

A collection of twelve essays by John Perry and two essays he co-authored, this book deals with various problems related to "self-locating beliefs": the sorts of beliefs one expresses with indexicals and demonstratives, like "I" and "this". In the early essays, Perry argues that an account of these beliefs requires us to distinguish what is believed from how it is believed, and the rest of the essays discuss various aspects and implications of that distinction and issues closely related to it. Included with such well-known essays as "Frege on Demonstratives", "The Problem of the Essential Indexical", "From Worlds to Situations", and "The Prince and the Phone Booth" are a number of important essays that have been less accessible and that discuss important aspects of Perry's views, which stem from the area of thought referred to as "Critical Referentialism" on the philosophy of language and the philosophy of mind. In addition, postscripts have been added to a number of the essays discussing criticisms by authors such as Gareth Evans and Robert Stalnaker.