Locke’s theses about language

Below are eight theses that Michael Morris attributes to Locke in chapter one of his book An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language. The words used to formulate these theses are his.

(L1) The nature of language is defined by its function.

(L2) The function of language is to communicate.

(L3) What language is meant to communicate is thought.

(L4) Words signify or mean the components of what they are trying to communicate.

(L5) The components of thought are ideas.

(L6) One person’s ideas cannot be perceived by another.

(L7) The relation between words and what they signify or mean is arbitrary.

(L8) Words are not intrinsically meaningful.

Reference

Morris, M. 2006. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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