more from Donald Davidson

Single Idea 8869

[catalogued under 19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / c. Principle of charity]

Full Idea

Concerning charity, the Principle of Coherence seeks logical consistency in the thought of the speaker, and the Principle of Correspondence seeks a similar response to features of the world to that of an interpreter. The speaker has logic and true belief.

Gist of Idea

The principle of charity attributes largely consistent logic and largely true beliefs to speakers

Source

Donald Davidson (Three Varieties of Knowledge [1991], p.211)

Book Reference

Davidson,Donald: 'Subjective, Intersubjective, Objective' [OUP 2001], p.211


A Reaction

Davidson adds a Kantian commitment to pure and universal reason to the very sceptical framework created by Quine. I agree with Davidson, but it seems more like faith than like an argument or an empirical observation.

Related Idea

Idea 3495 Shared Background makes translation possible, though variation makes it hard [Searle]