Single Idea 2336

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

Full Idea

Holism immediately suggests that most terms cannot be defined, at least not in a way that is fixed once and for all.

Gist of Idea

Holism seems to make fixed definition more or less impossible

Source

Hilary Putnam (Representation and Reality [1988], §1 p.09)

Book Reference

Putnam,Hilary: 'Representation and Reality' [MIT 1992], p.9


A Reaction

Perhaps there exists a single perfect definition for each holistic system, only graspable by a transcendent intellect. Or why can't there be a matching holistic system of definitions?