Single Idea 7324

[catalogued under 19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 1. Meaning]

Full Idea

Grice wants to explain linguistic meaning in terms of the content of propositional attitudes, Dummett has championed the view that propositional attitudes must be explained by linguistic meaning, while Davidson says they must be explained together.

Gist of Idea

Explain meaning by propositional attitudes, or vice versa, or together?

Source

Alexander Miller (Philosophy of Language [1998], 6.1)

Book Reference

Miller,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Language' [UCL Press 1998], p.178


A Reaction

A useful map. My intuition says propositional attitudes come first, for evolutionary reasons. We are animals first, and speakers second. Thought precedes language. A highly social animal flourishes if it can communicate.