Exploration of the Reference Theory of Meaning of Modern British and American Philosophy of Language

The paper explores the reference theory of meaning that is firstly put forward and explained by modern British and American philosophers as one of the theories of meaning. The author holds that it is not correct for Russell′s reference theory of meaning to deny expressions connected with imagination and fabrication having meaning. In order to explain that morning star equals evening star, Frege put forward that the referent of expression is different from the meaning of expression. This actually involves the problem of the type of meaning. We can reveal that what is used by the reference theory of meaning is the meaning view of realism.