Single Idea 3402

[catalogued under 19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / c. Principle of charity]

Full Idea

If someone says "I do and I don't like x", we do not take her to be expressing a literally contradictory belief.

Gist of Idea

If someone says "I do and don't like x", we don't assume a contradiction

Source

Jaegwon Kim (Philosophy of Mind [1996], p.135)

Book Reference

Kim,Jaegwon: 'Philosophy of Mind' [Westview 1998], p.135


A Reaction

It might mean 'one minute I like it, and the next minute I don't', where there seems to be a real contradiction, with a time factor. You can't sustain both preferences with conviction.