PrepTest 69, Section 3, Question 15
Linguist: You philosophers say that we linguists do not have a deep understanding of language, but you have provided no evidence.
Linguist: You philosophers say that we linguists do not have a deep understanding of language, but you have provided no evidence.
Philosopher: Well, you have said that you believe that "Joan and Ivan are siblings" is identical in meaning to "Ivan and Joan are siblings." But this cannot be the case, for the sentences are physically different; yet for two things to be identical, they must have all the same attributes.
Linguist: You philosophers say that we linguists do not have a deep understanding of language, but you have provided no evidence.
Philosopher: Well, you have said that you believe that "Joan and Ivan are siblings" is identical in meaning to "Ivan and Joan are siblings." But this cannot be the case, for the sentences are physically different; yet for two things to be identical, they must have all the same attributes.
Linguist: You philosophers say that we linguists do not have a deep understanding of language, but you have provided no evidence.
Of the following, which one is the strongest logical counter that the linguist can make to the philosopher?
Two things can have a few minor differences and still be identical.
Two sentences can be identical physically, and yet, depending on the context in which they are uttered, not be identical in meaning.
It is necessarily true that Joan is Ivan's sibling if Ivan is Joan's sibling.
The issue is not whether the two sentences are completely identical, but whether they mean the same thing.
A linguist has more experience with language than a philosopher, and so is in a better position to answer such questions.
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