{{Unreferenced, date=July 2021
Secondary reference points to the representation as a necessary part in granting a meaning to a (part of a) sentence. In this approach,
word
A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no conse ...
s that don't contribute to the representation are void; they can only provide a figurative expression. Examples of phrases which lack a secondary reference are 'a black Monday' (unless it is used figuratively) and
Bernard Bolzano
Bernard Bolzano (, ; ; ; born Bernardus Placidus Johann Gonzal Nepomuk Bolzano; 5 October 1781 – 18 December 1848) was a Bohemian mathematician, logician, philosopher, theologian and Catholic priest of Italian extraction, also known for his lib ...
Alexius Meinong
Alexius Meinong Ritter von Handschuchsheim (17 July 1853 – 27 November 1920) was an Austrian philosopher, a realist known for his unique ontology. He also made contributions to philosophy of mind and theory of value.
Life
Alexius Meinong ...
's Types of objects can be mentioned here, too.
In the first case, one may have a representation of a Monday (or at least of something one calls a Monday), as well as of something black, but not of a 'black Monday', since these qualities don't combine ('Monday' being too abstract to be combined with a concrete quality such as a color). In the second case, there is an incongruity: a quadrangle can be represented, but not a round one; conversely, there can be a circle, but it can't be square. It may, therefore, be debated whether a representation is created here.
Another example is presented by George Berkeley. He says: " ..Does it not require some pains and skill to form the general idea of a triangle (which is yet none of the most abstract, comprehensive and difficult) for it must be neither
oblique
Oblique may refer to:
* an alternative name for the character usually called a slash (punctuation) ( / )
*Oblique angle, in geometry
*Oblique triangle, in geometry
* Oblique lattice, in geometry
* Oblique leaf base, a characteristic shape of the b ...
equilateral
In geometry, an equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have the same length. In the familiar Euclidean geometry, an equilateral triangle is also equiangular; that is, all three internal angles are also congruent to each oth ...
, equicrural, nor scalenon, but ''all and none'' of these at once?" (''A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge'', Introduction, section 13.) Berkeley is here criticizing John Locke, demonstrating that each representation is particular (i.e., individual).
Whether there is a meaning or not depends on the individual person: it is possible that a sentence has a meaning according to A, whereas B can't discern any. This may, e.g., result from relevant knowledge which A possesses and B lacks, as in the case where one should decide the answer to the question 'Is 15 a prime number?' and A knows what a prime number is and B doesn't; the sentence then doesn't have a meaning for B.
Literature
*J. Doomen, "The Individuality of Meaning", in ''Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations'' vol. 5, no. 1 (Sept. 2006), pp. 121–135 (first occurrence of the term)
Philosophy of language