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Single Idea 15152

[from 'Philosophy of Language' by Scott Soames, in 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 4. Meaning as Truth-Conditions ]

Full Idea

The systematic study of meaning requires a framework for specifying the truth conditions of sentences on the basis of their syntactic structure, and the representational contents of their parts.

Gist of Idea

To study meaning, study truth conditions, on the basis of syntax, and representation by the parts

Source

Scott Soames (Philosophy of Language [2010], Intro)

Book Reference

Soames,Scott: 'Philosophy of Language' [Princeton 2010], p.1


A Reaction

Soames presents this as common sense, on the first page of his book, and it is hard to disagree. Representation will shade off into studying the workings of the mind. Fodor seems a good person to start with.