Meaning making

some functional aspects

Herbert Otto

pp. 293-314

in: Herbert Otto, James Tuedio (eds), Perspectives on mind, Berlin, Springer, 1988

Abstract

When it comes to the phenomenon of meaning—which most would agree figures centrally in consciousness—there seems to be two, no doubt related, aspects that demand attention. These may be presented as a pair of questions. First, what features must something have if it is to be meaningful? And, second, what capabilities must a mind have if it is to be aware of meaning? The distinction between locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary in the "speech act" approach to meaning reflects much the same concerns. It seems clear enough that meaning is not simply a matter of reference, and as J.R. Searle points out [1], there are good philosophical as well as practical reasons for not glossing over that fact. There is much to be learned from such broader perspectives on meaning. In this paper I want to explore some of what might be learned.