Definition of de re in English:
de re
adjectivedeɪ ˈreɪdiːˌdā ˈrā
Philosophy Relating to the properties of things mentioned in an assertion or expression, rather than to the assertion or expression itself.
Compare with de dicto
Example sentencesExamples
- In defence of this way of reading the de re/de dicto distinction, we can note that a central feature of de re ascriptions is that the object of a de re belief ascription is mentioned outside the scope of the ‘believes…’ clause.
- One example of the prevalence of the traditional use of modal notions can be found in the early medieval de dicto / de re analysis of examples such as ‘A standing man can sit’.
- So, for example, sentences like evince what are sometimes called de dicto / de re ambiguities.
- Since I shall analyze the de re, relational, or transparent sense of ‘perceptually knows’, I shall want to employ, in my analysis, the de re sense of ‘believe’.
- Moreover, the inability to assert theorems containing free variables makes it impossible to prove any de re modal validities.
Origin
Latin, literally 'about the thing'.