Single Idea 7716

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 2. Meaning as Mental]

Full Idea

It was necessary that man should find some external sensible signs, whereby those invisible ideas might be made known to others; ..words, then, in their primary or immediate signification stand for nothing but the ideas in the mind of him that uses them.

Gist of Idea

Words were devised as signs for inner ideas, and their basic meaning is those ideas

Source

John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 3.02.01-2)

Book Reference

Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.405


A Reaction

This very unpopular theory could be defended. Note Locke's qualification about 'primary signification'. His Wittgensteinian opponents go on about community or communication, but maybe these are parasitic on the initial grunt referring to an inner idea?