Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Selected Works

Robert J. Stainton

Donald Davidson

Discipline
Publication Year

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Perry, Wittgenstein's Builders And Metasemantics, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2008

Perry, Wittgenstein's Builders And Metasemantics, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

The paper discusses in detail John Perry’s important article “Davidson’s Sentences and Wittgenstein’s Builders”. Perry argues, on the basis of Wittgenstein’s famous block/slab language, that words make direct metasemantic contact with the world. The present paper urges that, while Perry’s conclusions are correct and important, the arguments provided for them, in his 1994 article, ignore essential features of genuine words in natural language. A more empirically-oriented alternative tactic for supporting the same philosophical conclusions is then provided, and its advantages and disadvantages are weighed.


Speaker Meaning And Davidson On Metaphor, Robert J. Stainton Dec 2002

Speaker Meaning And Davidson On Metaphor, Robert J. Stainton

Robert J. Stainton

No abstract provided.