> In practice, it seems to me that usage and semantics are bent to a language-independent (but imperfectly perceived) reality rather than the other way around.
It seems to me that recognizing that usage and semantics have to respect a language-independent reality is why people will object if you claim that the sky is blue but not colored: because they recognize the language-independent reality that blue is a color. Plus the language-independent reality that if your intention is to communicate information, what you say has to be comprehensible to the listener.
In other words, "what is permissible or obligatory to say or believe" is driven by language-independent realities about facts in the world and requirements for communication to be possible.
> ..."what is permissible or obligatory to say or believe" is driven by language-independent realities about facts in the world and requirements for communication to be possible.
The origin of our agreement on true or false usually comes from these things. But they are still agreements. That's why we have to teach our children language. Most children come wired to mirror their parents behavior. When we point to something blue, and say it is blue, they accept it without challenge because they haven't developed the capacity for challenge. It becomes axiomatic.
It is this same reason that "you've got to get them young" is the thesis for teaching anyone to believe something that is either difficult or questionable, because you bypass the stage of rational challenge.
It seems to me that recognizing that usage and semantics have to respect a language-independent reality is why people will object if you claim that the sky is blue but not colored: because they recognize the language-independent reality that blue is a color. Plus the language-independent reality that if your intention is to communicate information, what you say has to be comprehensible to the listener.
In other words, "what is permissible or obligatory to say or believe" is driven by language-independent realities about facts in the world and requirements for communication to be possible.
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