The Fregean sense and reference

In Fregean terms, "sense" refers to the way we understand a term or phrase, while "reference" is the actual object or concept it points to. For example, the name "Venus" has a sense related to our understanding of the planet and its characteristics. Its reference is the planet itself. This distinction helps us grasp how language conveys meaning: the sense informs us about the reference, allowing communication to be clear, even if different people have varied understandings or images associated with the same term. This framework is foundational in understanding how we process language and meaning.