Ruth Garrett Millikan presents a strikingly original account of how we get to grips with the world in thought. Her question is Kant's 'How is knowledge possible?', answered from a contemporary naturalist standpoint. We begin with an understanding of what the world is like prior to cognition, then develop a theory of cognition within that world.
The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the psychological process of reidentification, delving into its implications and significance. Millikan examines how individuals recognize and categorize themselves and others, shedding light on the cognitive mechanisms involved. Through detailed analysis, the author presents new insights into identity formation and its impact on personal and social dynamics. This work stands out for its rigorous approach and contribution to understanding the complexities of human psychology.
Der Band versammelt erstmals in deutscher Übersetzung Ruth Millikans wichtigste Aufsätze zur Sprachphilosophie. Millikan präsentiert darin unter anderem eine neue Konzeption sprachlicher Konventionen, wonach der Sprachgebrauch nicht durch Regeln bestimmt wird und biologische Funktionen das eigentliche Fundament der Kommunikation bilden. Sie arbeitet eine eigene Theorie der Bedeutung von Eigennamen und empirischen Ausdrücken aus, deutet die Phänomene um, die zu Fregeanischen Bedeutungstheorien Anlaß gegeben haben, und legt eine originäre, an die sinnliche Wahrnehmung angelehnte Erklärung dafür vor, wie Hörer sprachliche Informationen in sprachliches Verstehen verwandeln und warum es Kindern umstandslos gelingt, ihre Muttersprache zu erlernen.
Ruth Millikan presents a revolutionary perspective on language, viewing it as a biological phenomenon shaped by natural selection rather than by prescriptive rules. Through a collection of essays, she challenges conventional assumptions in linguistics and philosophy, proposing that the regularities of language are akin to biological norms. This approach leads to significant insights into public linguistic meaning, language comprehension, and child language acquisition, as well as the semantics/pragmatics distinction, offering a fresh lens for understanding these complex processes.