Full Idea
A use theory of meaning has to suppose it is words and ways of putting words together that have meaning because of their uses, not sentences.
Gist of Idea
The use theory attaches meanings to words, not to sentences
Source
Gilbert Harman ((Nonsolipsistic) Conceptual Role Semantics [1987], 12.1.3)
Book Reference
Harman,Gilbert: 'Reasoning Meaning and Mind' [OUP 1999], p.3
A Reaction
He says that most sentences are unique, so cannot have a standard use. Words do a particular job over and over again. How do you distinguish the quirky use of a word from its standard use?