Why does Dr. Itard want Victor to speak?
Our song is written from the view of Dr. Itard. In the second verse, we mention that he wants to teach Victor so that he can prove that language can be learned. This goes against what the other doctor thinks about how language is inherent.
How does Dr. Itard hope to teach Victor:
Perception - In the second verse we make a reference to dumping hot and cold water on Victor to see if he can tell the difference. Dr. Itard hoped that he'd be able to show Victor the difference.
Language - In the third verse, we talk directly about the letters made of wood and how Dr. Itard hope Victor would learn how to spell and make words and eventually talk but all he did was memorize.
Reason - In verse four, we talk about how Dr. Itard tried to teach Victor reason by making him ask for his milk.
Emotion - Near the end of the song, we talk about how Dr. Itard locks Victor in a closet and he finally cries which shows Dr. Itard that he feels emotion.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Abel Chpt 7
1.) How do Mill and Frege disagree with Russell about grammatical sentences and meaning?
Mill and Frege believe that sentence should have the same meaning as the collective meaning of the words, while Russel showed that there can be meaningless sentences made up of meaningful words.
2.) Abel provides 8 distinguishing features of meaning. Please provide your own example for each.
a.) Indication - "Smoke means fire"
b.) Cause - "What does this white flag mean?"
c.) Effect - "This means you will fail the quarter"
d.) Intention - "I meant to post all my blogs on time"
e.) Explanation - "What does 'degeneracy' mean?"
f.) Purpose - "Pacifism is meaningless."
g.) Implication - "If the light turns red, I'm speeding up."
h.) Significance - "Does life have any meaning without death?"
3.) Why does Abel believe that science and metaphysics is involved in the discussion of linguistic meaning?
Abel states that we can talk meaningfully about the world only if we take into account what the world is like.
4.) Aristotle provided 10 categories that defined “the range of applicability of a term.”(p. 65). Please provide your own example for each.
i.) Substance - "Bob Dylan is a human being"
ii.) Quantity - "He is 180cm tall"
iii.) Quality - "He is talented"
iv.) Relation - "He is the father of Jakob Dylan"
v.) Place - "He is in California"
vi.) Time - "He is there always"
vii.) Action - "He is singing"
viii.) Passion - "He is protesting"
ix.) Position - "He is surrounded by his fans"
x.) State - "He is newly shaven."
5.) How does Abel differentiate between Reference and Naming?
Reference is how language affects a word, while naming is the direct application of a word to a thing.
6.) On page 66, Abel explains the historical significance of naming. Can you think of any examples he left out? Is there any contemporary example of which Abel would not be aware?
When the cyclops asks Odysseus what his name is, he replies "I am Nobody" His giving of a false name is what angered the gods.
7.) What is the main function of naming? What doesn’t it do?
Naming serves as a a tag to identify something. A name can not describe something.
8.) What is the difference between sense and reference?
A sense is the mental picture evoked when the name is said. A reference is the description of an otherwise unknown name.
9.) How does Abel differentiate between Connotation and Denotation? What about Intension and Extension?
Connotation is the specific meaning of the word while Denotation is all the things that can be designated with the word. Intension is what one had in mind when the word was said. Extension is all the things that fit the definition of the word.
10.) What does Abel mean when he says: “Though meanings require words, they are not identical to words.” (p. 68)?
Words can either refer to things or our thoughts on things because they have both sense and reference.
11.) What is the connection between names and descriptions? Do you agree with Abel that we use ‘linguistic symbols to organize experience” (p. 69)?
People have to organize their words in specific ways to convey their exact ideas. Names can be used as description based on the actions of the original owner of the name (e.g. another Stalin)
12.) Why is referential opacity a problem? Be sure to mention his specific examples.
Certain phrases while meaning the same thing can not replace each other logically.
"Mark Twain" is the pen name of Samuel Clemens.
"Mark Twain" is the pen name of Mark Twain.
13.) What is the problem of creating a “subsistent entity”? (p. 70)
It does not actually exist, but because it can be referenced it is in a way real.
14.) How does Russell differentiate between “descriptive phrases and names” (p.70)?
one has reference but no sense, the other has sense, but no reference.
15.) What is the connection between language and Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description?
One must be acquainted with the subtleties of a language (slang) and they can not be taught but the language over all can be described to another person in the form of classes and lessons.
16.) What is a word? What is an icon? What is an index?
A word is an organized set of letters standing for an idea, an icon is something that is meant to look like something else (photos). and index is a reference to what's to come (smoke to fire)
17.) Why is it important for philosophers to “clarify thought by clarifying language”? Why are Scientists offenders” (p. 72)?
A philosophers goal is to use language and its variant forms to describe the world, while a scientist ignores language and uses numbers which are universal to everyone. Scientists use words with only reference and no actual sense.
18.) What does Abel mean when he says “Just as meanings are not the same things as words, so meanings are not the same things as operations or methods or uses” (p. 73)?
Both meaning and words need each other yet are completely independent of one another.
Mill and Frege believe that sentence should have the same meaning as the collective meaning of the words, while Russel showed that there can be meaningless sentences made up of meaningful words.
2.) Abel provides 8 distinguishing features of meaning. Please provide your own example for each.
a.) Indication - "Smoke means fire"
b.) Cause - "What does this white flag mean?"
c.) Effect - "This means you will fail the quarter"
d.) Intention - "I meant to post all my blogs on time"
e.) Explanation - "What does 'degeneracy' mean?"
f.) Purpose - "Pacifism is meaningless."
g.) Implication - "If the light turns red, I'm speeding up."
h.) Significance - "Does life have any meaning without death?"
3.) Why does Abel believe that science and metaphysics is involved in the discussion of linguistic meaning?
Abel states that we can talk meaningfully about the world only if we take into account what the world is like.
4.) Aristotle provided 10 categories that defined “the range of applicability of a term.”(p. 65). Please provide your own example for each.
i.) Substance - "Bob Dylan is a human being"
ii.) Quantity - "He is 180cm tall"
iii.) Quality - "He is talented"
iv.) Relation - "He is the father of Jakob Dylan"
v.) Place - "He is in California"
vi.) Time - "He is there always"
vii.) Action - "He is singing"
viii.) Passion - "He is protesting"
ix.) Position - "He is surrounded by his fans"
x.) State - "He is newly shaven."
5.) How does Abel differentiate between Reference and Naming?
Reference is how language affects a word, while naming is the direct application of a word to a thing.
6.) On page 66, Abel explains the historical significance of naming. Can you think of any examples he left out? Is there any contemporary example of which Abel would not be aware?
When the cyclops asks Odysseus what his name is, he replies "I am Nobody" His giving of a false name is what angered the gods.
7.) What is the main function of naming? What doesn’t it do?
Naming serves as a a tag to identify something. A name can not describe something.
8.) What is the difference between sense and reference?
A sense is the mental picture evoked when the name is said. A reference is the description of an otherwise unknown name.
9.) How does Abel differentiate between Connotation and Denotation? What about Intension and Extension?
Connotation is the specific meaning of the word while Denotation is all the things that can be designated with the word. Intension is what one had in mind when the word was said. Extension is all the things that fit the definition of the word.
10.) What does Abel mean when he says: “Though meanings require words, they are not identical to words.” (p. 68)?
Words can either refer to things or our thoughts on things because they have both sense and reference.
11.) What is the connection between names and descriptions? Do you agree with Abel that we use ‘linguistic symbols to organize experience” (p. 69)?
People have to organize their words in specific ways to convey their exact ideas. Names can be used as description based on the actions of the original owner of the name (e.g. another Stalin)
12.) Why is referential opacity a problem? Be sure to mention his specific examples.
Certain phrases while meaning the same thing can not replace each other logically.
"Mark Twain" is the pen name of Samuel Clemens.
"Mark Twain" is the pen name of Mark Twain.
13.) What is the problem of creating a “subsistent entity”? (p. 70)
It does not actually exist, but because it can be referenced it is in a way real.
14.) How does Russell differentiate between “descriptive phrases and names” (p.70)?
one has reference but no sense, the other has sense, but no reference.
15.) What is the connection between language and Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description?
One must be acquainted with the subtleties of a language (slang) and they can not be taught but the language over all can be described to another person in the form of classes and lessons.
16.) What is a word? What is an icon? What is an index?
A word is an organized set of letters standing for an idea, an icon is something that is meant to look like something else (photos). and index is a reference to what's to come (smoke to fire)
17.) Why is it important for philosophers to “clarify thought by clarifying language”? Why are Scientists offenders” (p. 72)?
A philosophers goal is to use language and its variant forms to describe the world, while a scientist ignores language and uses numbers which are universal to everyone. Scientists use words with only reference and no actual sense.
18.) What does Abel mean when he says “Just as meanings are not the same things as words, so meanings are not the same things as operations or methods or uses” (p. 73)?
Both meaning and words need each other yet are completely independent of one another.
This Child
Lyrics to This Child based off This Year by The Mountain Goats
He was found in the woods in France
No parents, no voice and no home
This wild child had no pants
His hair had never seen a comb
I brought him to my house to teach him to speak
To prove to them that language could be learned
He was barbaric and uncivilized but far from weak
And nothing could cause him to be burned
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I made letters out of wood to teach him to spell
All he did was memorize
My patience ran dry as well
All he could do was organize
I wanted to teach this boy to reason
By asking for milk and by using his words
With broken wooden saucers
If only I knew if he heard
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
He responded to words with an O sound
Victor was the name that I gave him
He finally had a name of his own
His new life could now start to begin
Victor soon became a bit too much to handle
I thought some time in the closet might do the trick
When Victor came out, there were tears in his eyes
He finally showed us he felt emotions
There might actually be hope for this boy yet
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me.
He was found in the woods in France
No parents, no voice and no home
This wild child had no pants
His hair had never seen a comb
I brought him to my house to teach him to speak
To prove to them that language could be learned
He was barbaric and uncivilized but far from weak
And nothing could cause him to be burned
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I made letters out of wood to teach him to spell
All he did was memorize
My patience ran dry as well
All he could do was organize
I wanted to teach this boy to reason
By asking for milk and by using his words
With broken wooden saucers
If only I knew if he heard
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
He responded to words with an O sound
Victor was the name that I gave him
He finally had a name of his own
His new life could now start to begin
Victor soon became a bit too much to handle
I thought some time in the closet might do the trick
When Victor came out, there were tears in his eyes
He finally showed us he felt emotions
There might actually be hope for this boy yet
I am going to teach this child if it kills me
I am going to teach this child if it kills me.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Genie
1.) Psamtik had two babies isolated in hopes of seeing if they developed language naturally, which they of course did not. Psamtik's experiment did not meet enough of the requirements to be called scientifically valid.
2.) Abel mentions the connection be between metaphysics and linguistics. Certain things can not be fully understood, but the questions remain, they just surpass science at the time.
3.) Linguistics is in now way related to Astronomy. The movement and location of stars is irrelevant to the formation and evolution of the human language.
4.) The social worker feared the girl was severely autistic because of of the main symptoms of autism is the inability to speak and the awkward way of holding one's body up.
5.) Language was originally thought to be theological and too complex to study. Then the general understanding shifted to believe it was biological, but because it could not be coded to a specific gene or chromosome, it was thought to be psychological because the brain is very poorly understood by modern science.
2.) Abel mentions the connection be between metaphysics and linguistics. Certain things can not be fully understood, but the questions remain, they just surpass science at the time.
3.) Linguistics is in now way related to Astronomy. The movement and location of stars is irrelevant to the formation and evolution of the human language.
4.) The social worker feared the girl was severely autistic because of of the main symptoms of autism is the inability to speak and the awkward way of holding one's body up.
5.) Language was originally thought to be theological and too complex to study. Then the general understanding shifted to believe it was biological, but because it could not be coded to a specific gene or chromosome, it was thought to be psychological because the brain is very poorly understood by modern science.
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