Single Idea 4710

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

Full Idea

Verificationism came under attack from empiricists who were friendly to the banishment of traditional metaphysics, but unfriendly to the analytic-synthetic distinction, on which the idea of a 'factual statement' depended.

Gist of Idea

Verificationism was attacked by the deniers of the analytic-synthetic distinction, needed for 'facts'

Source

Paul O'Grady (Relativism [2002], Ch.3)

Book Reference

O'Grady,Paul: 'Relativism' [Acumen 2002], p.58


A Reaction

I don't accept this move because I don't consider the 'facts' to be language-dependent. They are pre-linguistic, they outrun that capacity of our language, and they are available to animals.