Walter Burley on the Simple Supposition of Singular Terms

Abstract

This paper argues that Burley's theory of simple supposition is not as it has usually been presented. Burley explicitly allows that some instances of simple supposition are for an individual and that in certain cases personal supposition and simple supposition coincide. The present paper explores Burley's theory on this topic and proposes a way of thinking about the metaphysics and the semantics that makes sense of what he says.(edited)