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Single Idea 3418

[from 'Philosophy of Mind' by Jaegwon Kim, in 18. Thought / C. Content / 6. Broad Content ]

Full Idea

The example of someone claiming "arthritis in my thigh" shows that the content of belief depends, at least in part but crucially, on the speech practices of the linguistic community in which we situate the subject.

Gist of Idea

'Arthritis in my thigh' requires a social context for its content to be meaningful

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p.197)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.197


A Reaction

Personally I find this social aspect to meaning to be more convincing that Putnam's idea that the physical world is part of meaning. It connects nicely with the social aspects of justification.