Re: [ontolog-forum] What words mean

["Rob Freeman" <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 12, 2008 11:54 AM, John F. Sowa <sowa@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

RF> Is the "technical" meaning of Newton's word "gravity" the

 > same as Galileo's, or Einstein's?

Actually, yes!  For the full range of measurements of gravity
that Galileo and his generation had done, Newton's agreed.
But Newton showed how to measure the gravity of things like
planets that could not be measured by the old methods.
And Einstein did exactly the same in relating his theories
to Newton's.

Maybe they're the same in your dictionary, John, but not mine.

We really need a theory of word meaning to decide this. I asked it at the beginning of the thread, but don't recall an answer.

What's your theory of word meaning?

We can do "technical" meanings if you like. Though I fear the word "technical" itself will become a point of dispute.

From your sketch above "meaning" for you seems to be a (steadily broadening) collection of observations. Actually I don't mind that as a definition of meaning, though I wouldn't have called it "technical".

Is that how you would define (technical) meaning?

-Rob

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