Countering the counting problem: a reply to Holton
1. It has become commonplace to claim that 'the counting problem' for Donald Davidson's paratactic account of oratio obliqua can be met only by admitting propositions into one's ontology.1 In a recent note, Richard Holton (1996) has disputed this. The purpose of this brief reply is to argue that Holton's rearguard action against propositions is unsuccessful. He has not succeeded in showing that we can hold on to the nominalistic ontology which Davidson takes to be concomitant on his paratactic proposal.