more from Donald Davidson

Single Idea 8349

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 5. Linguistic Analysis]

Full Idea

I do not know any better way of showing what there is than looking at the assumptions needed to make sense of our normal talk.

Gist of Idea

The best way to do ontology is to make sense of our normal talk

Source

Donald Davidson (Causal Relations [1967], §4)

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Essays on Actions and Events' [OUP 1982], p.162


A Reaction

Davidson was a pupil of Quine. This I take to be the last flowering of twentieth century linguistic philosophy. The ontology we deduce from talk in a children's playground might be very bizarre, but we are unlikely to endorse it. 'Honest, it's true!'