Ideational theory of meaning: A theory holding that the meaning of a word is the idea with which it is regularly associated or for which it stands. According to the theory, ideas are private and independent of language. Language is a tool for providing publicly observable indications of private ideas and to convey these ideas to others. A linguistic expression gets its meaning by being used to indicate ideas. The classical version of this theory was elaborated by Locke in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, I, 2, III. He says: “The use, then, of words is to be sensible marks of ideas; and the ideas they stand for are their proper and immediate signification.” Since the ambiguous word “idea” for Locke refers to mental images, this theory is also called the “image theory of meaning.” The strength of this theory is that it catches the insight that language is an instrument for the communication of thought. — http://www.blackwellreference.com
Why is it that we have the idea car? — shmik
To find your answers you think to yourself 'would I use the word car to describe this'. You don't run through a mental checklist of conditions necessary and sufficient conditions. — shmik
Inevitably there will come some pictures which you would use the word chair to describe but don't fit the list of conditions. — shmik
Finally how do I understand ideas? If I have some kind of direct way of understanding them what is it about them that allows for it but doesn't allow for a direct way of understanding sentences without ideas as an intermediary? — shmik
Some more simple questions. What is the idea behind the meaning of 'hello'? What is the idea of '5723'? — shmik
We learn ostensively, learning by examples then constructing a rule (necessary and sufficient conditions) that admits of those examples. — invizzy
Not consciously maybe, but if knowing a meaning is knowing the rule, then thinking 'would I use the word "car" to describe this' IS comparing your thought to the rule (i.e, a checklist of necessary and sufficient conditions) — invizzy
So the speaker has a specific thought, then an idea/meaning/mental grouping is chosen which conveys that thought (i.e. the thought fits the conditions), then the associated word or expression for that meaning is uttered, then the hearer receives the meaning (i.e. the mental grouping), and you've just had successful communication. — "invizzy
Ideational theories use an incoherent relationship between ideas and meaning. They make a distinction which is not there. — TheWillowOfDarkness
The distinctions used under ideational theories are more akin to distinction of states of the world related to thinking and communicating. I might, for example, have the thought I need to explain something (initial thought), think and work what meaning I need to say to communicate it to others (idea/meaning/mental grouping which, critically, does not convey my initial thought; I am not telling people I need to tell them something when I explain the issue), then move on to speaking the words which represent the idea/meaning/mental grouping I had. — TheWillowOfDarkness
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.