Causation and Self-Reference

Abstract

Here, in broad strokes, is a complex of ideas: It seems patent that there is self-reference in natural languages like English: a sentence like, “This sentence contains five words,” seems undeniably true and, therefore, perfectly in order both syntactically and semantically. As is well known, causal conceptions of reference have recently been bruited about the literature. But if reference is causal, then it would seem to follow that self-reference must involve self-causation. On the other hand, even if it is not exactly clear why, it does seem that the causal relation cannot be reflexive. It seems to me premature to conclude forthwith that these ideas are a reductio ad absurdum of causal conceptions of reference: consequently, I should like to explore them here.