Skip to main content

Belief and the basis of meaning

Abstract

A theory of radical interpretation gives the meanings of all sentences of a language, and can be verified by evidence available to someone who does not understand the language. Such evidence cannot include detailed information concerning the beliefs and intentions of speakers, and therefore the theory must simultaneously interpret the utterances of speakers and specify (some of) his beliefs. Analogies and connections with decision theory suggest the kind of theory that will serve for radical interpretation, and how permissible evidence can support it.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Davidson, D. Belief and the basis of meaning. Synthese 27, 309–323 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00484597

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00484597

Keywords

  • Decision Theory
  • Radical Interpretation