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Single Idea 6269

[from 'Meaning and the Moral Sciences' by Hilary Putnam, in 3. Truth / F. Semantic Truth / 2. Semantic Truth ]

Full Idea

There is only one way anyone knows how to define 'true' and that is Tarski's way.

Gist of Idea

Only Tarski has found a way to define 'true'

Source

Hilary Putnam (Meaning and the Moral Sciences [1978], Lec II.5)

Book Reference

Putnam,Hilary: 'Meaning and the Moral Sciences' [RKP 1981], p.30


A Reaction

However, Davidson wrote a paper called 'On the Folly of Trying to Define Truth', which seems to reject even Tarski. Also bear in mind Putnam's earlier remark (Idea 6265) that there is more to truth than Tarski's definition. Just take 'true' as primitive.

Related Idea

Idea 6265 Tarski has given a correct account of the formal logic of 'true', but there is more to the concept [Putnam]