Philosophy Concordance - online philosophical quotations

All these results have greatly advanced us in our understanding of the nature and structures of our language; however, I think that to become really operative, they must be placed within the framework of a more sophisticated theory of language; a theory which would not rest on some naive picture of expressions as signs which we use to label exhibits of the world-museum, or to externalize our thoughts.

For example: It would be surprising indeed if we were to find that the principles governing [linguistic] phenomena are operative in other cognitive systems, although there might be certain loose analogies, perhaps in terms of figure and ground, or properties of memory, as we see when the relevant principles are made explicit.

Most languages of the world are not as strict about word order as English, and often the operative principles of phrase order concern topic and focus, a fairly marginal issue in English grammar.

Language is badly designed for communication The operative quote from HCF is this: The question is whether particular components of the functioning of FLN are adaptations for language, specifically acted upon by natural selection—or, even more broadly, whether FLN evolved for reasons other than communication (1574).

As regards the nature of these unconscious wishes, it seems to me—though as a layman I speak with diffidence—that many psycho-analysts are unduly narrow; no doubt the wishes they emphasize exist, but others, e.g. for honour and power, are equally operative and equally liable to concealment.

The different sets of appearances resulting from moving x nearer and nearer to the object will approach to a limiting set, and this limiting set will be that system of appearances which the object would present if the laws of perspective alone were operative and the medium exercised no distorting effect.

To take another example from a subject already once referred to. In a co-operative industrial association, is it just or not that talent or skill should give a title to superior remuneration?

And yet it must be confessed that this plan appears to be readier and to lie nearer at hand and to give more ground for hope than the primary one. In like manner the operative which answers to this speculative part, starting from the ordinary incidents of nature, extends its operation to things immediately adjoining, or at least not far removed.

Nor indeed do I ever allow myself to be drawn away from things themselves and the operative part.

They differ in this also from singular instances, that they give much more help to practice and the operative part.