"The words are arbitrary but the thoughts are not. Their meaning is laid up in the vaults of the mind."
— Ground, Ian
Author
Date
October 10, 2017
Metaphor
"The words are arbitrary but the thoughts are not. Their meaning is laid up in the vaults of the mind."
Metaphor in Context
The analogy is between the values of notes and coins and the meaning of words and sentences. We see that particular sounds and squiggles in a particular language, say English, are in themselves arbitrary, having no intrinsic connection to the things they stand for. So we think there must be something standing behind the words which gives them the real meaning. What could that be? Well, we might suggest idea, thoughts and intentions. We mean things by our words. Others understand us because they know what we mean by the sounds or marks we make. The words are arbitrary but the thoughts are not. Their meaning is laid up in the vaults of the mind.
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Ian Ground, "The Relentless Honesty of Ludwig Wittgenstein," TLS (October 10, 2017). <Link to ww.the-tls.co.uk>
Date of Entry
06/12/2018
