Meta-Metasemantics, or the Quest for the One True Metasemantics

TY - JOUR

T1 - Meta-Metasemantics, or the Quest for the One True Metasemantics

AU - Nowak, Ethan

AU - Michaelson, Eliot

PY - 2022/1/31

Y1 - 2022/1/31

N2 - What determines the meaning of a context-sensitive expression in a context? It is standardly assumed that, for a given expression type, there will be a unitary answer to this question; most of the literature on the subject involves arguments designed to show that one particular metasemantic proposal is superior to a specific set of alternatives. The task of the present essay will be to explore whether this is a warranted assumption, or whether the quest for the one true metasemantics might be a Quixotic one. We argue that there are good reasons - much better than are commonly appreciated - for thinking the latter, but that there nevertheless remains significant scope for metasemantic theorizing. We conclude by outlining our preferred option, metasemantic pluralism.

AB - What determines the meaning of a context-sensitive expression in a context? It is standardly assumed that, for a given expression type, there will be a unitary answer to this question; most of the literature on the subject involves arguments designed to show that one particular metasemantic proposal is superior to a specific set of alternatives. The task of the present essay will be to explore whether this is a warranted assumption, or whether the quest for the one true metasemantics might be a Quixotic one. We argue that there are good reasons - much better than are commonly appreciated - for thinking the latter, but that there nevertheless remains significant scope for metasemantic theorizing. We conclude by outlining our preferred option, metasemantic pluralism.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85127433473

U2 - 10.1093/pq/pqab001

DO - 10.1093/pq/pqab001

M3 - Article

SN - 0031-8094

VL - 72

SP - 135

EP - 154

JO - PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY

JF - PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY

IS - 1

ER -