Single Idea 4606

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

Full Idea

There is something puzzling about the notion that someone could understand the sentences "birds warble" and "tigers growl", yet have no idea what the sentence "tigers warble" meant.

Gist of Idea

To understand 'birds warble' and 'tigers growl', you must also understand 'tigers warble'

Source

John Heil (Philosophy of Mind [1998], Ch.5)

Book Reference

Heil,John: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Routledge 1998], p.136


A Reaction

True enough, but this need not imply the full thesis of linguistic holism. Words are assembled like bricks. I know tigers might warble, but stones don't. Might fish warble? Or volcanoes? I must know that 'birds warble' is not a tautology.