back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 6317

[from 'Word and Object' by Willard Quine, in 19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / b. Indeterminate translation ]

Full Idea

Rival systems of analytical hypotheses can fit the totality of speech behaviour to perfection, and can fit the totality of dispositions to speech behaviour as well, and still specify mutually incompatible translations of countless sentences.

Gist of Idea

Dispositions to speech behaviour, and actual speech, are never enough to fix any one translation

Source

Willard Quine (Word and Object [1960], §15)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Word and Object' [MIT 1969], p.72


A Reaction

This is Quine's final assertion of indeterminacy, having explored charity, bilingual speakers etc. It seems to me that he is a victim of his underlying anti-realism, which won't allow nature to dictate ways of cutting up the world.