Single Idea 5388

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 5. Meaning as Verification]

Full Idea

Every proposition which we can understand must be composed wholly of constituents with which we are acquainted.

Gist of Idea

Every understood proposition is composed of constituents with which we are acquainted

Source

Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 6)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.32


A Reaction

This is somewhere between Hume and logical positivism, but it concerns understanding (not meaning) of propositions (not sentences), and its acquaintance can be of universals as well as of sense experience. I like Russell's version more than Ayer's.