Question

The picture theory of meaning states that statements are meaningful if, and only if, they can be defined or pictured in the real world. The very notion of meaning as used here is argued against by Frege. As far as I understand, Frege says that there are two different aspects related to semantics: Sense and Reference. Wittgenstein says, in Frege's terminology, that only those with reference are those with sense. However, a point that Frege tries to put out is that there are some sentences who have a sense without a reference. I conclude that Wittgenstein's theory is incompatible with Frege's theory. Am I correct in the conclusion I derive? Or are there other things to be considered when comparing the two, which would make the conclusion different?

Answer 1

You are correct in concluding that early Wittgenstein's picture theory is largely incompatible with Frege's emphasis on sense and reference. Wittgenstein's later work, however, shows a shift towards understanding meaning based on usage, which aligns more closely with Frege's views. Both philosophies offer important but distinct contributions to the theory of meaning.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your conclusion that Wittgenstein's theory is incompatible with Frege's is largely correct but requires some nuance. Wittgenstein's picture theory of meaning, notably in his early work, posits that language mirrors reality and that the meaning of a statement is its ability to picture a state of affairs. This can be understood as a form of the correspondence theory of truth. Frege, on the other hand, introduced the distinction between sense and reference. Frege argued that there are meaningful sentences with sense but no reference, which Wittgenstein's early views did not account for.

However, it's important to recognize the evolution of Wittgenstein's thought. In his later work, Wittgenstein moved away from the picture theory and developed the notion that the meaning of words is rooted in their use within specific language games. This later view is more amenable to the notion that sentences can have sense without reference, aligning somewhat with Frege's view on the importance of the sense in determining meaning.

Comparing these two can reveal trade-offs as both models contribute to different aspects of language and its relation to truth and meaning. Wittgenstein focused more on the verifiable aspects of language, while Frege emphasized the ideational components too.