Single Idea 2761

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 7. Meaning Holism / b. Language holism]

Full Idea

It is clearly possible to learn a language from scratch, because we have all done it, but if holism is true and the meaning of each sentence depends on the meanings of others, how did we do it?

Gist of Idea

If the meanings of sentences depend on other sentences, how did we learn language?

Source

Jonathan Dancy (Intro to Contemporary Epistemology [1985], 7.2)

Book Reference

Dancy,Jonathan: 'Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology' [Blackwell 1985], p.100


A Reaction

The question of 'how did it ever get started?' actually seems to block almost every explanation of everything that ever happens. How do I begin to move my hand?