Philosophical Grammar 8

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.