more from Alfred Tarski

Single Idea 19186

[catalogued under 3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 2. Defining Truth]

Full Idea

The problem of the definition of truth obtains a precise meaning and can be solved in a rigorous way only for those languages whose structure has been exactly specified.

Gist of Idea

A rigorous definition of truth is only possible in an exactly specified language

Source

Alfred Tarski (The Semantic Conception of Truth [1944], 06)

Book Reference

'Semantics and the Philosophy of Language', ed/tr. Linsky,Leonard [University of Illinois 1972], p.19


A Reaction

Taski has just stated how to exactly specify the structure of a language. He says definition can only be vague and approximate for natural languages. (The usual criticism of the correspondence theory is its vagueness).