Single Idea 6564

[catalogued under 2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 3. Non-Contradiction]

Full Idea

To affirm a compound of the form 'p and not-p' is just to have mislearned one or both of these particles.

Clarification

The 'particles' are "and" and "not"

Gist of Idea

To affirm 'p and not-p' is to have mislearned 'and' or 'not'

Source

Willard Quine (From Stimulus to Science [1995], p.23), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.1

Book Reference

Fogelin,Robert: 'Walking the Tightrope of Reason' [OUP 2004], p.32


A Reaction

Quoted by Fogelin. This summarises the view of logic developed by the young Wittgenstein, that logical terms are 'operators', rather than referring terms. Of course the speaker may have a compartmentalised mind, or not understand 'p' properly.