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Single Idea 1617

[from 'On What There Is' by Willard Quine, in 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 10. Denial of Meanings ]

Full Idea

The useful ways in which ordinary people talk about meanings boil down to two: the having of meanings, which is significance, and sameness of meaning, or synonymy.

Gist of Idea

The word 'meaning' is only useful when talking about significance or about synonymy

Source

Willard Quine (On What There Is [1948], p.11)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'From a Logical Point of View' [Harper and Row 1963], p.11


A Reaction

If the Fregean criterion for precise existence is participation in an identity relation, then synonymy does indeed pinpoint what we mean by 'meaning.