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Single Idea 13937

[from 'Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology' by Rudolph Carnap, in 12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 3. Pragmatism ]

Full Idea

The acceptance of new linguistic forms about entities cannot be judged as being either true or false because it is not an assertion. It can only be judged as being more or less expedient, fruitful, conducive to the aim for which the language is intended.

Gist of Idea

New linguistic claims about entities are not true or false, but just expedient, fruitful or successful

Source

Rudolph Carnap (Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology [1950], 3)

Book Reference

Carnap,Rudolph: 'Meaning and Necessity (2nd ed)' [Chicago 1988], p.214


A Reaction

The obvious problem seems to be that a complete pack of lies might be successful for a very long time, if it plugged a critical hole in a major theory. Is success judged financially? How do we judge success without mentioning truth?