Single Idea 14906

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 5. Meaning as Verification]

Full Idea

With Peirce, we endorse a non-positivist version of verificationism - no hypothesis should be taken seriously if apparently beyond our capacity to investigate, and serious metaphysics must concern at least two plausible scientific hypotheses.

Gist of Idea

Non-positivist verificationism says only take a hypothesis seriously if it is scientifically based and testable

Source

comment on Charles Sanders Peirce (How to Make our Ideas Clear [1878]) by J Ladyman / D Ross - Every Thing Must Go 1.3

Book Reference

Ladyman,J/Ross,D: 'Every Thing Must Go' [OUP 2007], p.29


A Reaction

[compressed] They say this is NOT a theory about meaning, as 'The Big Bang was caused by Elvis' is perfectly meaningful. Verificationism always seems to rule out bold speculation. Don't say 'take string theory seriously', if we can't test it?