Language and scientific explanation

Eran Asoulin

ISBN 10: 3961102643 / ISBN 13: 9783961102648

Published by Language Science Press Jun 2020, 2020

About this Item

This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book discusses the two main construals of the explanatory goals of semantic theories. The first, externalist conception, understands semantic theories in terms of a hermeneutic and interpretive explanatory project. The second, internalist conception, understands semantic theories in terms of the psychological mechanisms in virtue of which meanings are generated. It is argued that a fruitful scientific explanation is one that aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms in virtue of which the observable phenomena are made possible, and that a scientific semantics should be doing just that. If this is the case, then a scientific semantics is unlikely to be externalist, for reasons having to do with the subject matter and form of externalist theories. It is argued that semantics construed hermeneutically is nevertheless a valuable explanatory project. 96 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9783961102648

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Language and scientific explanation
• Publisher: Language Science Press Jun 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3961102643
• ISBN 13: 9783961102648
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 246W x 175H x 12D millimeters 246 millimeters width by 175 millimeters height by 12 millimeters depth
• Weight: 376 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book discusses the two main construals of the explanatory goals of semantic theories. The first, externalist conception, understands semantic theories in terms of a hermeneutic and interpretive explanatory project. The second, internalist conception, understands semantic theories in terms of the psychological mechanisms in virtue of which meanings are generated. It is argued that a fruitful scientific explanation is one that aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms in virtue of which the observable phenomena are made possible, and that a scientific semantics should be doing just that. If this is the case, then a scientific semantics is unlikely to be externalist, for reasons having to do with the subject matter and form of externalist theories. It is argued that semantics construed hermeneutically is nevertheless a valuable explanatory project.