The Real Distinction between Descriptions and Indexicals*

Some contemporary semantic views defend an asymmetry thesis concerning definite descriptions and indexicals. Semantically, indexicals are devices of singular reference; they contribute objects to the contents of the speech acts made with utterances including them. Definite descriptions, on the other hand, are generalized quantifiers, behaving roughly the way Russell envisaged in “On Denoting”. The asymmetry thesis depends on the existence of a sufficiently clear-cut distinction between semantics and pragmatics, because indexicals and descriptions are often used in ways that apparently contradict the asymmetry thesis; the semantics/pragmatics distinction is invoked to see behind the appearances. The paper critically examines arguments by Schiffer against the asymmetry thesis, based on referential uses of incomplete descriptions. RESUMEN Algunas teorías semánticas contemporáneas defienden una tesis de asimetría respecto de las descripciones definidas y los indéxicos. Semánticamente, los indéxicos son instrumentos de referencia singular; contribuyen con objetos a los contenidos de los actos del habla que se llevan a cabo por medio de ellos. Las descripciones definidas, por su parte, son cuantificadores generalizados, que se comportan a grandes rasgos como Russell indicara en “On Denoting”. La tesis de la asimetría depende de la existencia de una distinción suficientemente clara entre semántica y pragmática, dado que tanto los indéxicos como las descripciones definidas se usan a menudo de maneras que parecen contradecirla; se invoca entonces la distinción entre semántica y pragmática para reconciliarla con las apariencias. El trabajo examina críticamente argumentos recientes de S. Schiffer contra la tesis de asimetría, que se apoyan en usos referenciales de descripciones incompletas. In contemporary semantics an asymmetry thesis is hold concerning the behaviour of, respectively, definite descriptions and indexicals. Semantically, indexicals are devices of singular reference; they contribute objects to the contents of the speech acts made with utterances including them. Definite descriptions, on the other hand, are generalized quantifiers, behaving roughly the way Russell envisaged in “On Denoting”. The asymmetry thesis depends on the existence of a sufficiently clearcut distinction between semantics and pragmatics, because indexicals and de-