Single Idea 18963

[catalogued under 19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / b. Indeterminate translation]

Full Idea

The indeterminacy between 'rabbit', 'rabbit stage' and the rest depended only on a correlative indeterminacy of translation of the English apparatus of individuation - pronouns, plurals, identity, numerals and so on.

Gist of Idea

Indeterminacy translating 'rabbit' depends on translating individuation terms

Source

Willard Quine (Ontological Relativity [1968], p.35)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ontological Relativity and Other Essays' [Columbia 1969], p.35


A Reaction

This spells out the problem a little better than in 'Word and Object'. I just don't believe these problems are intractable. Quine is like a child endlessly asking 'why?'.