Single Idea 9105

[catalogued under 19. Language / D. Propositions / 4. Mental Propositions]

Full Idea

Conceptual terms and the propositions formed by them are those mental words which do not belong to any language; they remain only in the mind and cannot be uttered exteriorly, though signs subordinated to these can be exteriorly uttered.

Gist of Idea

Some concepts for propositions exist only in the mind, and in no language

Source

William of Ockham (Summa totius logicae [1323], I.c.i)

Book Reference

Ockham,William of: 'Ockham's Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. Boehner,P [Hackett 1990], p.47


A Reaction

[He cites Augustine] A glimmer of the idea of Mentalese, and is probably an integral part of any commitment to propositions. Quine would hate it, but I like it. Logicians seem to dislike anything that cannot be articulated, but brains are like that.