罗素哲学中的谓述问题及其认知意义

The Problem of Predication in Russell's Philosophy and Its Cognitive Significance

谓述问题是哲学史上的难题,罗素对这一问题进行过大量的论述,并试图采用认识论的方法加以解决。戴维森认为罗素没有解决谓述问题,是他根据塔尔斯基的真理论才使该问题得到彻底解决。但是罗素仍然对谓述问题作过贡献,表现为他用现代逻辑的方法清楚地表述了谓述问题,他把语言划分为不同层次,把谓述问题限制在原子命题中,把谓词推广到关系词。虽然戴维森从外延角度解决了谓述问题,但是语言的意义和心理活动的关系问题仍是未解之迷,罗素后期的理论尝试从心理学角度探讨意义问题,为谓述问题的解决提供了必要的补充。

The problem of predication is a difficult question in the history of philosophy. Bertrand Russell wrote substantially on it in order to resolve this problem with epistemology. Davidson thought that Russell couldn't resolve this problem, and it was only resolved by his own truth theory. However,Russell expressed this question clearly in modern logic. He advanced ranking languages, restricted the predication question to atomic propositions, generalized predicates to relations, and explained the truth of propositions with beliefs, etc. All these are important thoughts for solving the problem of predication even if Davidson did not agree. Russell's theory also provides a method to solve the problem of meaning by psychology, which is important in modern cognitive science. This paper claims that Russell's use of psychological activities such as believing can explain the formational mechanism of propositions very well and his explanation gives a necessary supplement to the problem of predication.