Single Idea 2339

[catalogued under 19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / c. Social reference]

Full Idea

What is wrong with the Aristotelian picture (of meaning and reference based on concepts) is that it suggest that everything that is necessary for the use of language is stored in each individual mind, but no individual language works this way.

Gist of Idea

Aristotle implies that we have the complete concepts of a language in our heads, but we don't

Source

Hilary Putnam (Representation and Reality [1988], §2 p.25)

Book Reference

Putnam,Hilary: 'Representation and Reality' [MIT 1992], p.25


A Reaction

Languages must partly work that way. You can't talk without a conceptual storehouse. In a small society I would expect every adult to know the full vocabulary.