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Full Idea
A creature cannot have a thought unless it is an interpreter of the speech of another.
Gist of Idea
A creature doesn't think unless it interprets another's speech
Source
Donald Davidson (Thought and Talk [1975], p.9)
Book Ref
'Mind and Language', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [OUP 1977], p.9
A Reaction
His use of the word 'creature' shows that he is perfectly aware of the issue of whether animals think, and he is, presumably, denying it. At first glance this sounds silly, but maybe animals don't really 'think', in our sense of the word.
| 6394 | The pattern of sentences held true gives sentences their meaning [Davidson] |
| 6395 | An understood sentence can be used for almost anything; it isn't language if it has only one use [Davidson] |
| 11144 | Concepts are only possible in a language community [Davidson] |
| 11145 | Having a belief involves the possibility of being mistaken [Davidson] |
| 6396 | A sentence is held true because of a combination of meaning and belief [Davidson] |
| 6397 | The concept of belief can only derive from relationship to a speech community [Davidson] |
| 6392 | Thought depends on speech [Davidson] |
| 6393 | A creature doesn't think unless it interprets another's speech [Davidson] |