HUMA 17000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Conventionalism
3 Aug 2016
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Hermogenes: the correctness of names is determined by convention and agreement . Socrates: names ought to be given according to a natural process, and with a proper instrument, and not at our pleasure; in this an no other way shall we name with success [387d] Names are conventional, and have a meaning to those who have agreed about them, and who have previous knowledge of the things intended by them, and that convention is the only principle [433e] If names are well given, they are like the things they name and so are likenesses of them . True name: a true name of an object/entity is a name that expresses the object"s true nature. Plato"s cratylus: rule setters to use a name well is to use it as an instructor does . If [a rule-setter, ] is to be an authentic giver of names, mustn"t he look to what a name itself is? .
