[Revised entry by Kepa Korta and John Perry on May 28, 2024.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
These lines – also attributed to H. L. Mencken and Carl Jung – may or may not be fair to diplomats, but are surely correct in reminding us that more is involved in what one communicates than what one literally says; more is involved in what one means than the standard, conventional meaning of the words one uses. The words ‘yes,’ ‘perhaps,’ and ‘no’ each has a perfectly identifiable meaning, known by every speaker of English (including not very competent ones). However, as those lines…

Originally appeared on Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Read More