Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Private Language
Private Language
"4.1 The Community View Revisited
Although, as was just said, the community view is not easily reconciled with part of Wittgenstein's text, the matter is less clear than has been indicated so far. Significantly, even the most careful, insightful and sympathetic of Wittgenstein's commentators have divided on this matter (for example, Malcolm for the community view, and Baker and Hacker against it). The dispute is partly explained by the fact that the original texts (including some from Wittgenstein's manuscripts) seem to point two ways, some supporting the account given above (that the burden of the argument is that language must be potentially social), others the community view that language is essentially social.
That is, textual support can be found for two apparently conflicting exegetical claims:
Language is essentially social.
It is conceptually (even if not psychologically) possible that a lifelong Crusoe (i.e., a human being isolated from birth) should employ some kind of linguistic system and follow rules in so doing.
And the contending parties share the assumption that the conflict is genuine.
There is, however, reason to believe that this assumption is false, for investigation of Wittgenstein's notions of essential, possible and lifelong Crusoe shows that admission of the first claim does not commit him to the denial of the second. To take the first notion: on Wittgenstein's view, while chess is essentially a game for two players, this does not exclude the possibility of playing it against oneself provided such solitary games are not regarded as paradigm instances of chess. Similarly, he can claim that language is essentially social, but still allow the possibility of exceptions provided these are peripheral cases." The emphasis is mine.
"4.1 The Community View Revisited
Although, as was just said, the community view is not easily reconciled with part of Wittgenstein's text, the matter is less clear than has been indicated so far. Significantly, even the most careful, insightful and sympathetic of Wittgenstein's commentators have divided on this matter (for example, Malcolm for the community view, and Baker and Hacker against it). The dispute is partly explained by the fact that the original texts (including some from Wittgenstein's manuscripts) seem to point two ways, some supporting the account given above (that the burden of the argument is that language must be potentially social), others the community view that language is essentially social.
That is, textual support can be found for two apparently conflicting exegetical claims:
Language is essentially social.
It is conceptually (even if not psychologically) possible that a lifelong Crusoe (i.e., a human being isolated from birth) should employ some kind of linguistic system and follow rules in so doing.
And the contending parties share the assumption that the conflict is genuine.
There is, however, reason to believe that this assumption is false, for investigation of Wittgenstein's notions of essential, possible and lifelong Crusoe shows that admission of the first claim does not commit him to the denial of the second. To take the first notion: on Wittgenstein's view, while chess is essentially a game for two players, this does not exclude the possibility of playing it against oneself provided such solitary games are not regarded as paradigm instances of chess. Similarly, he can claim that language is essentially social, but still allow the possibility of exceptions provided these are peripheral cases." The emphasis is mine.
1 Comments:
Jared Diamond has done some interesting work in this regard: from the perspective that second generation "pidgin english" speakers begin to form a new more complex language with more verbs and syntax. that is, a new language literally emerges. of course this is social, but being hardwired, does create some questions about private languages. finally however, the idea of language as private just doesn't wash with me. as the investigations says: meaning is its use in the language
By 
James Governor, at
9:09 AM
