Meaning

by Horwich, Paul

• ISBN13: 9780198238249
• ISBN10: 019823824X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-02-18
• Publisher: Clarendon Press

Summary

What is meaning? Paul Horwich presents an original philosophical theory, demonstrates its richness, and defends it against all comers. At the core of his theory is the idea, made famous by Wittgenstein, that the meaning of a word derives from its use; Horwich articulates this idea in a new waythat will restore it to the prominence that it deserves. He surveys the diversity of valuable insights into meaning that have been gained in the twentieth century, and seeks to accommodate them within his theory. His aim is not to correct a common-sense view of meaning, but to vindicate it: he seeksto take the mystery out of meaning. Horwich's 1990 book Truth established itself both as the definitive exposition and defence of a notable philosophical theory, 'minimalism', and as a stimulating, straightforward introduction to philosophical debate about truth. Meaning now gives the broader context in which the theory of truthoperates, and is published simultaneously with a revised edition of Truth, in which Horwich refines and develops his treatment of the subject in the light of subsequent discussions, while preserving the distinctive format which made the book so successful. The two books together present acompelling view of the relations between language, thought, and reality. They will be essential reading for all philosophers of language.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction	1	(11)
2. Pseudo-Constraints on an Adequate Account of Meaning	12	(31)
3. Meaning as Use	43	(60)
4. Truth	103	(12)
5. Reference	115	(16)
6. Implicit Definition, Analytic Truth, and A Priori Knowledge	131	(23)
7. The Composition of Meanings	154	(30)
8. Norms of Language	184	(12)
9. Quelling Quine's Qualms	196	(16)
10. A Straight Solution to Kripke's Sceptical Paradox	212	(14)
Conclusion	226	(5)
Bibliography	231	(8)
Index	239