more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
A Davidsonian truth theory will not be able to distinguish the meaning of a sentence containing 'renate' from that of one containing 'cordate'.
Clarification
Cordate creatures (having hearts) are all renate (having kidneys) in this world
Gist of Idea
Truth conditions will come out the same for sentences with 'renate' or 'cordate'
Source
William Lycan (Philosophy of Language [2000], Ch. 9)
Book Ref
Lycan,William G.: 'Philosophy of Language' [Routledge 2000], p.142
A Reaction
One might achieve the distinction by referring to truth conditions in possible worlds, if there are possible worlds where some cordates are not renate. See Idea 7773.
Related Idea
Idea 7773 A sentence's truth conditions is the set of possible worlds in which the sentence is true [Lycan]
| 7767 | The theory of definite descriptions aims at finding correct truth conditions [Russell, by Lycan] |
| 8189 | Truth-condition theorists must argue use can only be described by appeal to conditions of truth [Dummett] |
| 8191 | The truth-conditions theory must get agreement on a conception of truth [Dummett] |
| 2559 | Davidson's theory of meaning focuses not on terms, but on relations between sentences [Rorty] |
| 19132 | Top-down semantic analysis must begin with truth, as it is obvious, and explains linguistic usage [Davidson] |
| 11076 | Community implies assertability-conditions rather than truth-conditions semantics [Kripke, by Hanna] |
| 6989 | I can understand "He has a beard", without identifying 'he', and hence the truth conditions [Jackson] |
| 3079 | Truth in a language is explained by how the structural elements of a sentence contribute to its truth conditions [Harman] |
| 16401 | To understand an utterance, you must understand what the world would be like if it is true [Stalnaker] |
| 2459 | Externalist semantics are necessary to connect the contents of beliefs with how the world is [Fodor] |
| 13964 | Semantic content is a proposition made of sentence constituents (not some set of circumstances) [Soames] |
| 2547 | There is information if there are symbols which refer, and which can combine into a truth or falsehood [McGinn] |
| 7770 | Truth conditions will come out the same for sentences with 'renate' or 'cordate' [Lycan] |
| 18997 | Truth-conditions as subject-matter has problems of relevance, short cut, and reversal [Yablo] |
| 7323 | If truth is deflationary, sentence truth-conditions just need good declarative syntax [Miller,A] |