How do letters differ from other letters, or other symbols? Is it the shape, sound, or use? The metaphysicality and ontology of words has been discussed extensively, but the discussion about letters is far from being conclusive. Due to this I will, by bringing forth a background on words, discuss letters’ origins and metaphysical distinction. I will examine a Platonist proposal of words, and then theories about shape, sound, meaning and origin. Nurbay Irmak opposes said theories and instead means that it is history that makes words ontologically distinct, which J.T.M. Miller disagrees with. I apply all these theories on the metaphysicality of letters and symbols and explain why they do not work for symbols either. Herman Cappelen and Ernest Lepore have previously discussed symbols and sign systems, and I will use their conclusions to strengthen my arguments. Lastly, I will argue for and against three of my own theories: Relation, Equivalence and Context. The point of this essay is to examine the metaphysicality of letters and symbols. What is it that makes symbols metaphysically distinct?
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-521484 |
Date | January 2024 |
Creators | Sorelius, Maria |
Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Filosofiska institutionen |
Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
Language | Swedish |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
Format | application/pdf |
Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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