This is a paradox because we have to know the meaning of ''meaning'' before we can assign it meaning. — TheMadFool
5. Avoid circularity — TheMadFool
This is a paradox because we have to know the meaning of ''meaning'' before we can assign it meaning. — TheMadFool
How is it a paradox? Even though our attempts to describe the meaning of "meaning" may be circular, this isn't how we first learn a language. Definitions only work if we already know the meaning of certain words, and so we must learn the meaning of these initial words another way — Michael
To know the meaning of any word, first we must know the meaning of ''meaning'' and that can't be done without resorting to a circular definition. Try it:
The meaning of ''meaning'' is <insert your definition>. — TheMadFool
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