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Dummett’s FregeDummett’s Frege

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The BackgroundThe Background

The mentalist conceptionThe mentalist conception

It is a code conception of language It is a code conception of language (telepathy doesn’t need language).(telepathy doesn’t need language).

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WittgensteinWittgenstein (who criticizes it) (who criticizes it)

[W]e are so much accustomed to [W]e are so much accustomed to communication through language, in communication through language, in conversation, that it looks to us as if the conversation, that it looks to us as if the whole point of communication lay in this: whole point of communication lay in this: someone else grasps the sense of my words someone else grasps the sense of my words — which is something mental: he as it were — which is something mental: he as it were takes it into his own mind. If he then does takes it into his own mind. If he then does something further with it as well, that is no something further with it as well, that is no part of the immediate purpose of language. part of the immediate purpose of language. (Wittgenstein (Wittgenstein PIPI: §363): §363)

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LockeLocke::

Words in their primary or immediate Words in their primary or immediate signification, stand for nothing but the signification, stand for nothing but the ideas in the mind of him that uses them ... ideas in the mind of him that uses them ... nor can anyone apply them as mark, nor can anyone apply them as mark, immediately, to anything else but the immediately, to anything else but the ideas that he himself had. (Locke 1894: ideas that he himself had. (Locke 1894: III.ii.2)III.ii.2)

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......

The chief end of language in The chief end of language in communication being to be understood, communication being to be understood, words serve well for that end, neither in words serve well for that end, neither in civil nor philosophical discourse, when any civil nor philosophical discourse, when any words does not excite in the hearer the words does not excite in the hearer the same idea which it stands for in the breast same idea which it stands for in the breast of the speaker. (Locke 1894: III.ix.4)of the speaker. (Locke 1894: III.ix.4)

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Ideas Ideas vsvs. Senses. Senses

Frege criticises the code conception of Frege criticises the code conception of language.language.

To do so he distinguishes between:To do so he distinguishes between:

(i) a (i) a VorstellungVorstellung (Idea) qua (Idea) qua private/subjective entity, and private/subjective entity, and

(ii) a (ii) a SinnSinn qua objective entity (mind and qua objective entity (mind and language independent, eternal).language independent, eternal).

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graspinggrasping a sense: a sense:

one need to be familiar with the language. one need to be familiar with the language.

So we need a medium. So we need a medium.

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Main QuestionMain Question

Is it possible to deal with the objectivity of Is it possible to deal with the objectivity of senses/thoughts without endorsing, senses/thoughts without endorsing, pacepace Frege, Frege, PlatonismPlatonism??

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The avoidance of PlatonismThe avoidance of Platonism

Dummett thinks it is possible to avoid Dummett thinks it is possible to avoid Platonism.Platonism.

He shows how to bring senses/thoughts He shows how to bring senses/thoughts down to earth.down to earth.

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MeaningMeaning

A theory of meaning is a theory of A theory of meaning is a theory of understandingunderstanding (cf. Dummett 1973: ch.5) (cf. Dummett 1973: ch.5)

Theory of understanding: what does it Theory of understanding: what does it mean to know a language?mean to know a language?

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This account can only be given in terms of This account can only be given in terms of the practical ability which the speaker the practical ability which the speaker displays in using sentences of the displays in using sentences of the language; and, in general, the knowledge language; and, in general, the knowledge of which that practical ability is taken as a of which that practical ability is taken as a manifestation may be, and should be, manifestation may be, and should be, regarded as only implicit knowledge. regarded as only implicit knowledge. (Dummett 1978: 101)(Dummett 1978: 101)

The meaning of a word/sentence is part of The meaning of a word/sentence is part of what is understood.what is understood.

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Three components of meaningThree components of meaning::

1. 1. sensesense: it is objective (vs Ideas); sense is : it is objective (vs Ideas); sense is what is relevant to the determination of what is relevant to the determination of truth value.truth value.

2. 2. tonetone (lighting, coloring): it is not relevant (lighting, coloring): it is not relevant to truth value; tone is used to convey to truth value; tone is used to convey attitude, evocative use of language, …attitude, evocative use of language, …

3. 3. forceforce: it applies to sentences; declarative : it applies to sentences; declarative vs.vs. interrogatives/imperatives/... sentences. interrogatives/imperatives/... sentences.

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meaningmeaning vs. vs. reference reference: :

reference is not an ingredient of meaning. reference is not an ingredient of meaning. To understand a word doesn’t merely To understand a word doesn’t merely consist in associating to it a worldly entity.consist in associating to it a worldly entity.

referencereference vs. vs. sense sense: :

sense is part of the meaning which needs sense is part of the meaning which needs to be grasped in order to compute the to be grasped in order to compute the truth value. As such sense is the part of truth value. As such sense is the part of the meaning which determines reference.the meaning which determines reference.

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IdentificationIdentification: :

In grasping the sense of a word (e.g. a In grasping the sense of a word (e.g. a proper name) we connect the word with a proper name) we connect the word with a way of identifying the referent. way of identifying the referent.

So sense is associated with a method of So sense is associated with a method of identifying an object. identifying an object.

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There is no condition sufficient for There is no condition sufficient for identification which anybody must know identification which anybody must know and, since different individuals may chose and, since different individuals may chose different routes to single out a referent, different routes to single out a referent, the sense of a word cannot be the the sense of a word cannot be the knowledge possessed by a single knowledge possessed by a single individual. individual.

Sense belongs to the Sense belongs to the social communitysocial community: : it is the common stock of informationit is the common stock of information..

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The Linguistic TurnThe Linguistic Turn

Frege is the father of analytic philosophy, Frege is the father of analytic philosophy, for the latter began with the linguistic for the latter began with the linguistic turn. turn.

The priority of language in order of The priority of language in order of explanation.explanation.

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Two axioms of analytic philosophyTwo axioms of analytic philosophy

1. 1. A philosophical account of thought A philosophical account of thought can be can be attained through a philosophical attained through a philosophical account account of languageof language

2. 2. A comprehensive account can only be A comprehensive account can only be so so attained.attained.

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Three featuresThree features contribute to the contribute to the linguistic turnlinguistic turn

1.1. The structure of a thought is The structure of a thought is reflected reflected in the structure the in the structure the sentence sentence expressing itexpressing it. .

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to It would be difficult, if not impossible, to discuss the structure of a thought without discuss the structure of a thought without making allusion to its verbal expression. making allusion to its verbal expression.

A thought is grasped in grasping the A thought is grasped in grasping the semantic properties of the sentence semantic properties of the sentence expressing it.expressing it.

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2.2. A thought is primarily said to be A thought is primarily said to be true or true or false.false.

Frege always starts by explaining the Frege always starts by explaining the referential relation between referential relation between sentences/words and their referents. sentences/words and their referents.

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This order of explanation is demanded by This order of explanation is demanded by his conception of sense as the way in his conception of sense as the way in which the referent is given: which the referent is given:

we first must know what it is for a sentence we first must know what it is for a sentence to be true and what it is for an expression to be true and what it is for an expression to have a reference before knowing what it to have a reference before knowing what it is for it to express a thought/sense.is for it to express a thought/sense.

A sense can be grasped only as the sense A sense can be grasped only as the sense of an expression to which reference can be of an expression to which reference can be ascribed.ascribed.

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3. 3. The objectivity of sense is not The objectivity of sense is not enough enough to guarantee the objectivity to guarantee the objectivity of of communicationcommunication

The sense ought to be (objectively) The sense ought to be (objectively) attached to an expression. attached to an expression.

Hence we need to explain what it is for a Hence we need to explain what it is for a sense to be attached to an expression. sense to be attached to an expression.

To do so we need to explain what it means To do so we need to explain what it means to know a language.to know a language.

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MoralMoral: we cannot give an account of naked : we cannot give an account of naked thoughts. thoughts.

sense is what is graspedsense is what is grasped

A sense which cannot be grasped is a chimera. A sense which cannot be grasped is a chimera.

We know what a sense is in knowing what it We know what a sense is in knowing what it means to grasp it. means to grasp it.

So the study of the language in communication So the study of the language in communication is an essential feature of Frege’s philosophy.is an essential feature of Frege’s philosophy.