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Single Idea 4564

[from 'Philosophy and the Nature of Language' by David E. Cooper, in 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 5. Meaning as Verification ]

Full Idea

It is not meaningless for me to postulate the potential for humans to sense in a manner which is at present unimaginable and indescribable. There is no reason to believe me, but I might be right.

Gist of Idea

I can meaningfully speculate that humans may have experiences currently impossible for us

Source

David E. Cooper (Philosophy and the Nature of Language [1973], §3.1)

Book Reference

Cooper,David E.: 'Philosophy and the Nature of Language' [Longman 1979], p.50


A Reaction

The key counterexample to verificationist theories of meaning is wild speculations, which are clearly meaningful, though frequently far beyond any likely human experience. Logical positivists are allergic to imagination.