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Full Idea
A sentence is held true because of two factors: what the holder takes the sentence to mean, and what he believes.
Gist of Idea
A sentence is held true because of a combination of meaning and belief
Source
Donald Davidson (Thought and Talk [1975], p.20)
Book Ref
'Mind and Language', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [OUP 1977], p.20
A Reaction
A key question is whether a belief (e.g. an imagistic one, or one held by an animal) could be true, even though no sentence is involved. Linguistic philosophers tend to avoid this question, or assume the answer is 'no'.
| 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] |