Should we be modest? Dummett and McDowell on Theories of Meaning

Year 2022, Volume: 21 Issue: 2, 624 - 643, 30.09.2022

Eylem Özaltun

https://doi.org/10.20981/kaygi.1091261

Abstract

In this paper I engage with a certain debate between Michael Dummett and John McDowell on the possibility of the full-blooded theories of meaning. This is a debate on what sort of semantic theories can be of use in giving an account of the speaker’s knowledge of a language. After defining modesty and full-bloodedness for a theory of meaning, I proceed to uncover Dummett’s reasons for his two central claims: Truth-conditional theories of meaning are modest and a theory of meaning must be full-blooded. Then I critically evaluate McDowell’s and Richard Kimberly Heck’s takes on the latter claim. I conclude that with the same descriptions of our linguistic competence it is impossible to characterize our language use as a rational activity and also give a full-blooded theory of meaning that can be used to study thought.

Keywords

Davidson, Dummett, McDowell, Truth-conditional Semantic Theories, Theories of meaning

Mütevazi mi olmalıyız? Dummett ve McDowell Anlam Kuramları Üzerine

Abstract

Bu makale Michael Dummett and John McDowell’ın güçlü anlam kuramlarının imkânı üzerine yürüttükleri tartışmayı incelemeyi hedefler. Bu tartışma, bir dilin kullanıcılarının o dile dair bilgisini açıklamakta ne tür semantik kuramların faydalı olacağına odaklanır. Bir anlam teorisini betimlemek için kullanılan mütevazı ve güçlü kavramları tanımlandıktan sonra, Dummett’ın, “Doğruluk koşullu anlam kuramları mütevazıdır” ve “Anlam kuramları güçlü olmalıdır” biçimindeki iki temel iddiasının dayandığı nedenler açıklanır. Ardından, McDowell ve Heck’in ikinci iddiaya ilişkin düşüncelerinin bir eleştirisi sunulur. İncelemenin sonunda ise, aynı betimleyicilere başvurarak hem dili kullanışımızı rasyonel bir eylem olarak tasvir etmenin hem de düşünceyi irdelemeye yetkin güçlü bir anlam kuramı inşa etmenin mümkün olmadığı sonucuna varılır.

Keywords

Davidson, Dummett, McDowell, Doğruluk koşullu anlam kuramları

References

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