Ma`rifat Falsafi

What is the reality of meaning? Is it a subjective or an objective category, or is it a third one? What is the relation between meaning and usage? These are some key issues in the ontology of meaning. Knowing the reality of meaning is a basic step toward analyzing different propositions. Some Western philosophers of language consider meaning to be the same as an instance, and some others regard it as the relation between a word and its instance. John Luck thinks of meaning as a subjective idea, while some others look in the objective and behavioral expressions for meaning. Wittgenstein, in his earlier philosophical life, emphasized on the picture theory of meaning, while later on suggested the use theory (or instrumental theory) of meaning. John Austin accepted the use theory too. The author explains and evaluates different theories, and then brings up his own theory in this regard. He believes that meaning is the mental image itself, without taking its subjectivity into consideration. In other words, meaning is the same as the designated (or known) per essentia vis-à-vis concept and instance (known per accident).