Semantics of Ideational Theory of Meaning: General Term in Philosophy of Language of Locke

Chitsaz, Maziar; Hojatti, Seyed Mohammad Ali; Nabavi, Lotf Allah; Ahmadi Aframjani, Ali Akbar

Semantics of Ideational Theory of Meaning: General Term in Philosophy of Language of Locke

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Maziar Chitsaz ¹

Seyed Mohammad Ali Hojatti ²

Lotf Allah Nabavi ³

Ali Akbar Ahmadi Aframjani ⁴

¹ Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Mofid University, PhD student in Philosophy, Logic, Tarbiat Modares University

² Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Allameh Tabatabaei University

Abstract

The ideational theory of meaning is the theory according to which the meaning of words is subjective ideas. This theory whose main defender (though not innovator) is Locke, has not been regarded greatly nowadays, because there are several problems which have not been resolved. In this paper, we focus on a specific aspect of this theory, namely: the semantics of general terms. First, we explain Locke’s definition of "Idea" and his position on "General Terms"; then we propose some suggestions that we believe could support and modify this theory. Finally, by using the concept of “Class” we show how some problems of the ideational theory of meaning can be resolved.

Keywords

Theory of Meaning

Idea

Locke

Philosophy of Language

General Term

منابع

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