使真解释:联通语言到世界

An Interpretation of Truthmaking:Connecting Language to the World

语言是如何与世界发生联系的,使得语言表达的真理获得了实在世界的某种保证?最近发展起来的使真者理论,直接关注的就是世界中的存在物如何使语句为真这个主题。对于使真者的语义学来说,基于某种直观理解的简单二元关系图像只是帮助设计一种语义模型的思路,或者考虑语句与模型之间抽象关系的一个视角,本身并不产生哲学上的麻烦。但是,对于使真者的形而上学来说,基于类似图像的理论思考,则会导致对使真概念及使真者理论在哲学上的误解。对使真概念的新理解基于如下主张:不存在真语句到它的形而上学使真者现成的或先于使真解释的直接对应关系。进入使真解释的语义学项和形而上学项,都是在解释过程中构建起来的,并通过解释过程被关联。因此,“使真”(就其形而上学方面来说)并不是传统意义上的一个现成的简单二元关系,而是由多种解释性行为(包括运用使真者语义学的语义解释)嵌入多重关系而成就的一项“事业”。

How language is related to the real world,so that the truth of the real world expressed in language is guaranteed to some extent?The emerging truthmaker theory concerns directly with the issue of how beings in the world make statements of language true.In truthmaker semantics,a simple binary image of relations based on some intuitive understanding is simply an approach that helps in the design of a semantic model or a perspective for considering abstract relations between utterances and models;it does not in itself give rise to philosophical problems.However,in truthmaker metaphysics,image-like theoretical thinking can lead to a philosophical misunderstanding of truthmaking concepts and truthmaker theory. The new understanding of truthmaking concepts is based on the claim that there is no direct correspondence between a true statement and its metaphysical truthmaker that is ready-made or that precedes the interpretation of truthmaking account.The semantic and metaphysical items that enter into the truthmaking account are constructed in the process of interpretation and are related through it.Thus, "truthmaking"(in its metaphysical aspect)is not a simple binary relation in the traditional sense,but an "enterprise" made possible by multiple interpretive acts(including the use of semantic interpretations of truthmaker semantics)embedded in multiple relations.