The Discussion on The Private Language Argument: Linguist Versus Philosopher

Abstract

The article is devoted to the discussion on the private language argument. I want to support the position already expressed by G.P. Baker and P.M.S. Hacker, adding to it yet one argument which may, in my opinion, make this view more intelligible and clearer. The position consists in affirming that the so-called community view does not contradict the opposing view on the nature of language. The point is that these views consider language on different levels. One may compare these different levels of investigation of the subject with different questions that a linguist and a philosopher may try to decide when they analyze the language. In this case the researcher who shares the community view can be represented as a linguist and his opponent as a philosopher.