Finding Girard’s book useful and recommendable doesn’t mean that one is unacquainted with its intellectual antecedents. But it is recommendable in part because it serves as a good introduction to some of that prior work. At least, it is a good introduction to those with a certain background and needs.
There is a field called philosophy of language. Have you heard of it? Here are some key papers/links:
On Sense and Reference by Frege
On Denoting by Russell
Reference and Definite Descriptions by Donnellan
SEP Entry on Reference
Kripke’s Naming and Necessity Lectures (Wohooo I didn’t know this was freely available… I might reread it now...)
A.P. Martinich’s Standard Philosophy of Language Anthology
Now you are an educated man…
Downvoted for sarcasm.
Finding Girard’s book useful and recommendable doesn’t mean that one is unacquainted with its intellectual antecedents. But it is recommendable in part because it serves as a good introduction to some of that prior work. At least, it is a good introduction to those with a certain background and needs.