
Contents
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1. Introduction 1. Introduction
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2. Rationality and Thought 2. Rationality and Thought
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3. Language and Rationality 3. Language and Rationality
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Rationality, Interpretation, and the Principle of Charity Rationality, Interpretation, and the Principle of Charity
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Language as Necessary for Rationality but Not for Thought Language as Necessary for Rationality but Not for Thought
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4. Language and Thought 4. Language and Thought
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The Argument from Holism The Argument from Holism
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The Argument from the Concept of Belief The Argument from the Concept of Belief
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The Argument from Surprise The Argument from Surprise
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The Argument from the Concept of Error The Argument from the Concept of Error
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5. Summary 5. Summary
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18 Rationality, Language, and the Principle of Charity
Get accessKirk Ludwig is Professor of Philosophy and Cognitive Science at Indiana University.
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Published:02 September 2009
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Abstract
This article deals with the relations between language, thought, and rationality, and especially the role and status of assumptions about rationality in interpreting another's speech and assigning contents to her psychological attitudes—her beliefs, desires, intentions, and so on. Some large degree of rationality is required for thought. Consequently, that same degree of rationality at least is required for language, since language requires thought. Thought, however, does not require language. This article lays out the grounds for seeing rationality as required for thought, and it meets some recent objections on conceptual and empirical grounds. Furthermore, it gives particular attention to Donald Davidson's arguments for the Principle of Charity, according to which it is constitutive of speakers that they are largely rational and largely right about the world, and to Davidson's arguments for the thesis that without the power of speech one lacks the power of thought.
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