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Single Idea 11170

[filed under theme 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 2. Analytic Truths ]

Full Idea

Just as a necessary truth may be true in virtue of the identity of certain objects as opposed to others, so an analytic truth may be true in virtue of the meanings of certain terms as opposed to others (such as 'bachelor' rather than 'unmarried').

Gist of Idea

Analytic truth may only be true in virtue of the meanings of certain terms

Source

Kit Fine (Essence and Modality [1994], p.10)

Book Ref

-: 'Philosophical Perspectives' [-], p.10

A Reaction

This is a beautifully simple observation, that the necessity of 'bachelors are unmarried men' derives from part of the proposition, not from the whole of it. So what is it about the part that generates the apparent necessity? The nature of the concept!

The 12 ideas with the same theme [propositions that are true simply because of their words]:

11240 The notion of analytic truth is absent in Aristotle [Aristotle, by Politis]
12233 The ground of a pure conceptual truth is only in other conceptual truths [Bolzano]
20295 All analytic truths can become logical truths, by substituting definitions or synonyms [Frege, by Rey]
7316 Analytic truths are those that can be demonstrated using only logic and definitions [Frege, by Miller,A]
4576 An analytic truth is one which becomes a logical truth when some synonyms have been replaced [Cooper,DE]
10627 Many conceptual truths ('yellow is extended') are not analytic, as derived from logic and definitions [Hale/Wright]
13960 In two-dimensional semantics we have two aspects to truth in virtue of meaning [Chalmers]
11170 Analytic truth may only be true in virtue of the meanings of certain terms [Fine,K]
11172 The meaning of 'bachelor' is irrelevant to the meaning of 'unmarried man' [Fine,K]
7315 'Jones is a married bachelor' does not have the logical form of a contradiction [Miller,A]
17721 There are no truths in virtue of meaning, but there is knowability in virtue of understanding [Boghossian, by Jenkins]
14998 Conventions are contingent and analytic truths are necessary, so that isn't their explanation [Sider]