Single Idea 8874

[catalogued under 18. Thought / C. Content / 6. Broad Content]

Full Idea

It will explain a speaker's actions far better if we interpret him as he intended to be interpreted, than if we suppose he means and thinks what someone else might mean and think who used the same words 'correctly'.

Gist of Idea

It is hard to interpret a speaker's actions if we take a broad view of the content

Source

Donald Davidson (Epistemology Externalized [1990], p.199)

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Subjective, Intersubjective, Objective' [OUP 2001], p.199


A Reaction

This comes down to the fact that our actions have to be motivated by internal meanings. If I defer to experts on the essence of gold, I still buy gold according to how I myself understand it. So meaning has two components?