Philosophy Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Language, philosophy: language is a set of phonetic or written coded forms fixed at a time for the exchange of information or distinctions within a community whose members are able to recognize and interpret these forms as signs or symbols. In a wider sense, language is also a sign system, which can be processed by machines. See also communication, language rules, meaning, meaning change, information, signs, symbols, words, sentences, syntax, semantics, grammar, pragmatics, translation, interpretation, radical interpretation, indeterminacy._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
| Author | Concept | Summary/Quotes | Sources |
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Max Black on Language - Dictionary of Arguments
II 13 Languages/Black: different if speakers do not understand each other. >Understanding. II 16 Talk/Black: prevalence over writing. >Speaking, >Writing. II 20 New: no fully articulated thought possible without symbolic representation. >Representation. Words/Malinowski: the same part and equivalents of the action. >Actions, >Words. II 31 Language/Black: Text linear - thinking nonlinear. >Texts, >Thinking. II 30 Linguistics/Black: the tradition boasts about not considering the "impure meaning". II 63 BloomfieldVsTradition: phonemes must be compared with respect to meaning - only if the examiner finds out which statements are similar and which different in their meaning, he can learn to recognize the phonemic differences. Nevertheless, Bloomfiled per purely formal linguistics/per Ockham: meanings should not be used without need. One should rather rely on differences in meaning than on substantive meaning details. II 74f Language/Black: an infinite number of sentences is possible. - Therefore language is an open system like e.g., chess, chemical compositions, tunes. ((s) For the discussion whether there are infinitely many possible sentences, see >Researchgate.) II 87 Def Language/Black: too complex to be definable - Features: anchored in speech - speech act is targeted and self-regulating. Language is an institution (language community) - system built on units - meaning supporting, effect triggering, pliable II 130 Language/Locke/Black: for transmission of thoughts - (ideas). >Thoughts, >Imagination. II 161 VsLanguage/Berkeley: knowledge is confused and obscured through abuse. Locke: ditto. Whitehead: incomplete, only a transitional stage. Risk: false confidence in them. Wittgenstein: all philosophy is criticism of language. Examples from literature: Swift: Gulliver: abolition of all words ... II 166 Sartre: disgust: Roquentin wants to withdraw into silence._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Black I Max Black "Meaning and Intention: An Examination of Grice’s Views", New Literary History 4, (1972-1973), pp. 257-279 In Handlung, Kommunikation, Bedeutung, G. Meggle (Hg), Frankfurt/M 1979 Black II M. Black The Labyrinth of Language, New York/London 1978 German Edition: Sprache. Eine Einführung in die Linguistik München 1973 Black III M. Black The Prevalence of Humbug Ithaca/London 1983 Black IV Max Black "The Semantic Definition of Truth", Analysis 8 (1948) pp. 49-63 In Truth and Meaning, Paul Horwich, Aldershot 1994 |
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Ed. Martin Schulz, access date 2024-04-28