PHILOSOPHY - Language: Meaning and Language [HD]

Summary

In this philosophical discourse, Kate Ritchie explores the nature of meaning in language, contrasting internalist and externalist perspectives. She explains that internalists, like Paul Grice, believe meaning is determined by speaker intentions and psychological states, while externalists, influenced by Hilary Putnam, argue that meaning is shaped by external factors like the natural and social environment. Ritchie uses thought experiments to illustrate the debate, emphasizing the complexity of linguistic meaning.

Takeaways

• 📚 Kate Ritchie introduces the topic of meaning and language, focusing on how sounds and written marks acquire meaning.
• 🤔 The foundational meaning question asks what determines the meaning of words and utterances, contrasting with descriptive meaning questions that seek to define specific terms.
• 💭 Internalist theories, such as those by Paul Grice, propose that mental or psychological states, particularly speaker intentions, are what fix meaning.
• 🗣️ Grice's theory suggests that the meaning of an utterance is determined by the speaker's intentions and the audience's recognition of those intentions.
• 📝 Sentences have a general meaning based on how speakers and writers tend to use them, according to Grice's view of language.
• 🌐 Externalist theories, like those by Hilary Putnam, argue that meaning is not solely in the mind but is influenced by external factors.
• 🌍 Putnam's Twin Earth thought experiment challenges the idea that meaning is psychological, showing that two individuals with identical psychological states can have different meanings for the same word.
• 🧪 The thought experiment involving 'beech' and 'elm' trees further illustrates that meaning cannot be reduced to psychological states alone.
• 🔗 Externalists believe that causal and historical connections with our natural and social environments are crucial in determining the meanings of our words and sentences.
• 🔍 The debate between internalism and externalism offers two distinct perspectives on the source of meaning in language, emphasizing either individual intentions or external factors.
• 📚 The script concludes by summarizing the two main approaches to answering foundational meaning questions in the philosophy of language.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lecture by Kate Ritchie?

The main topic of the lecture is the exploration of meaning and language, specifically focusing on how sounds and marks on a page or computer screen come to have meaning.

What is the foundational meaning question that the lecture seeks to address?

The foundational meaning question is 'What gives a word or utterance meaning?' which is about what determines the meaning of expressions or sentences.

What is the difference between foundational and descriptive meaning questions?

Foundational meaning questions seek to understand what determines the meaning of expressions or sentences, while descriptive meaning questions ask about the specific meaning of a particular word or utterance.

What are the two general sorts of answers to the foundational meaning question as discussed in the lecture?

The two general sorts of answers are internalist and externalist answers. Internalists argue that meaning is determined by mental or psychological states, while externalists argue that something outside of the individual is required to determine meaning.

Who is the philosopher that argued for the internalist view of meaning in the lecture?

The philosopher Paul Grice is mentioned as arguing for the internalist view, where speaker intentions determine meaning.

According to Grice, what are the three intentions that a speaker must have for an utterance to have meaning?

According to Grice, the speaker must intend for the audience to believe a certain proposition (P), recognize that the speaker wants them to believe P, and come to believe P based on this recognition of the speaker's intention.

What is the externalist philosopher Hilary Putnam's famous claim about the nature of meaning?

Hilary Putnam famously claimed that 'meanings just ain't in the head,' arguing that meanings are external and not solely determined by psychological states.

What is the Twin Earth thought experiment, and what does it demonstrate about meaning?

The Twin Earth thought experiment involves imagining a planet where 'water' is not H2O but a different substance called XYZ. It demonstrates that two individuals who are psychologically identical can mean different things by the same word, suggesting that meaning is not solely internal.

How does the example involving the inability to distinguish between beech and elm trees support externalism?

The example shows that even if someone cannot tell the difference between beech and elm trees, they can still use the words 'elm' and 'beech' correctly, suggesting that meaning is determined by more than just individual psychological states.

What do externalists believe determines the meaning of words and sentences?

Externalists believe that meaning is determined by external factors such as one's natural and social environment, including causal and historical connections with these environments.

What is the conclusion of the lecture regarding the debate between internalists and externalists on the nature of meaning?

The conclusion is that there are two ways to answer foundational meaning questions: internalists propose that complex speaker intentions determine meaning, while externalists argue that external factors like the natural environment play a role in determining meaning.