8. Must I understand a sentence to be able to act on it? If “to understand a sentence”
means somehow or other to act on it, then understanding cannot be a precondition for our acting on it. – What goes on when I suddenly understand someone else? There are many possibilities here.
must I understand a sentence to act on it?
understanding is the activity of language – of language use –
acting on language is language use –
acting on language is understanding language
the proposition –
is open to question – open to doubt –
uncertain –
and therefore any action with language –
any understanding – is open to question –
open to doubt – uncertain
understanding is not a precondition for action
understanding is the condition – the uncertain condition – of action –
what goes on when I suddenly understand someone? –
presumption
© greg t.charlton. 2014.
