Parker's Pensées Ep. 63 - Is Samwise Gamgee Real? | the Metaphysics of Language w/Jared Oliphint
Feb 8, 2021
Jared Oliphint, a Texas A&M philosophy PhD student and son of Dr. K. Scott Oliphint, dives into the fascinating metaphysics of language. He argues against nominalism, exploring the implications of fictional characters like Samwise Gamgee on existence and representation. The discussion weaves through the philosophy of language, debating realism versus nominalism and examining how abstract concepts shape our understanding of reality. With insights into sensory perception and the evolution of his academic passion, Jared brings a unique perspective to these complex topics.
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Linguistics vs Philosophy Of Language
- Linguistics studies empirical language facts while philosophy of language asks big-picture explanatory questions.
- Philosophers use linguistic data but focus on semantics, reference, and conceptual analysis.
Broad Ontology Of Linguistic Entities
- Linguistic entities include inscriptions, utterances, propositions, and sign gestures across modalities.
- The same communicative meaning can arise from very different physical objects (pixels, sounds, lights).
Meaning Transcends Physical Tokens
- Meaning cannot be reduced to the mere physical properties of tokens like sounds or pixels.
- That gap pushes theorists to locate meaning in relations, conventions, or abstract entities beyond concrete tokens.
