This book investigates whether Gottlob Frege's doctrine of indirect reference led the philosophy of language into a problematic theoretical detour that requires correction. John Perry, a prominent philosopher of language, utilizes a historical and analytical approach to examine Frege's foundational texts, specifically the Begriffsschrift and On Sense and Reference. Perry argues that while Frege's innovations established modern logic, his specific treatment of sense and denotation created unnecessary complications that have constrained subsequent linguistic inquiry.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the ongoing debate regarding Fregean semantics and the nature of propositional content. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which assumes a foundational understanding of analytic philosophy and formal logic.