Lepore, Ernie Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Jersey
Ludwig, Kirk Department of Philosophy, University of Florida, Gainesville
Print publication date: 2005 (this edition)
Published to Oxford Scholarship Online:
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-19-925134-6
doi:10.1093/0199251347.003.0021
 

Ernie Lepore
Kirk Ludwig
Discusses Davidson’s arguments against the impossibility of massive error and for externalism about thought content. Two main arguments are distinguished, the omniscient interpreter argument and the argument from the Principle of Charity. The omniscient interpreter argument is criticized, but it is argued that the argument from the Principle of Charity is the more fundamental of the two arguments. This argument is shown to rely on a strong assumption about the publicity of language, which we argue is not supported by reflection on the social function of language.
Keywords: argument from Charity, impossibility of massive error, omniscient interpreter argument, publicity of language
doi:10.1093/0199251347.003.0021
Quick Search Form
 
scroll up fast
scroll up
 
scroll down
scroll down fast
Part 1 Historical Introduction to Truth-Theoretic Semantics
Part II Radical Interpretation
Part III Metaphysics and Epistemology