Definition of de dicto in English:
de dicto
adjectivedeɪ ˈdɪktəʊdiːdā ˈdiktō
Philosophy Relating to the form of an assertion or expression itself, rather than any property of a thing it refers to.
Compare with de re
Example sentencesExamples
- As mentioned there, these sentences also appear to have readings on which they attribute general or de dicto beliefs to the women in question.
- Despite his understanding of the de re / de dicto distinction, Abelard came to a more troubled end than Eason Jordan did.
- And in doing so, he ran afoul of at least three kinds of ambiguity so common that they have conventional names: de re vs. de dicto, attributive vs. referential, and specific vs. generic.
- By contrast, the de dicto account corresponds to a purely linguistic notion of vagueness.
- Clarke pointed out that the argument was guilty of confusing de dicto and de re necessity.
Origin
Latin, 'from what is said'.