语言为什么是不够的?——以观察报告为线索

Why Language is not Enough ——Observation Report as Clue

一种特定的语言观导致了"语言是不够的"这样的担忧,认为语言需要一种来自外部世界的制约,否则将沦为一场概念游戏。罗伯特.布兰顿认为"观察报告"正是这种制约在经验方面的体现,他将"可靠性推论"作为观察报告认知性的来源,然而却认为报告者本人不需要掌握这一推论。塞拉斯不同意这一点,认为报告者本人必须能够掌握这种推论。他强调将观察报告放在理性的逻辑空间也就是语言中,对其实际地位做出描述。通过他的描述我们可以发现观察报告的特殊地位以及语言的制约所在。一种更深刻的语言观从中显现,而"语言是不够的"这样的担忧也得以消解。

A specific kind of view towards Language results in an anxiety which can be expressed as ＂language is not enough＂,and insists that Language,which should not be a concept-game,stands in need of a constraint from external World.Brandom considers ＂observation report＂ as the empirical aspect of that constraint.While he derives the epistemic authority of observation report from ＂reliability inference＂,he claims there is no need for the reporter himself to master this inference.Sellars does not agree with him,insists the reporter must master this inference.He emphasizes describing the actual role of observation report by placing it in the logical space of reasons,that is,in Language.Through Sellars＇s description,we can discover the special status of observation report,and where the constraint for Language lies.A deeper view towards Language thus appears,in which the anxiety ＂language is not enough＂ would dissolve.