Sounding out Semantics: The Limits of Philosophy

Abstract

By advocating a “non-semantic” perspective of words as conditioned acoustic symbols rather than fixed representations, this book challenges the mainstream philosophy of language. It critiques the dualism and literalism that underpin linguistic theory, arguing that meaning emerges from usage, not semantics. In seven chapters, original frameworks aim to provide more accurate analyses of contextual human symbol use, which resolve enduring puzzles in the philosophy of language, mathematics, and epistemology. It is acknowledged in the book that discussing language using language itself is inherently difficult. This unified theory rejecting semantic assumptions could significantly transform the understanding of language acquisition, communication across cultures, and biases embedded in linguistic symbols if empirically validated.  This seminal contribution provides valuable new insights into the emergence of meaning in human thought and communication by emphasizing conditioned usage and over-representation. In this review, we summarize the philosophy and significance of the book, and discuss its contribution to the field of study.