Single Idea 15587

[catalogued under 19. Language / C. Assigning Meanings / 2. Semantics]

Full Idea

In my 'Semantic Relationism' the fact that two utterances say the same thing is not entirely a matter of their intrinsic semantic features; it may also turn on semantic relationships among the utterances of their parts not reducible to those features.

Gist of Idea

That two utterances say the same thing may not be intrinsic to them, but involve their relationships

Source

Kit Fine (Semantic Relationism [2007], Intro)

Book Reference

Fine,Kit: 'Semantic Relationism' [OUP 2007], p.3


A Reaction

You'll need to read the book slowly several times to get the hang of this, but at least it allows that two different utterances might say the same thing (express the same proposition, I would say).

Related Idea

Idea 15588 You cannot determine the full content from a thought's intrinsic character, as relations are involved [Fine,K]