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But what d
oes it mean, that we can't explain
(i.e. describe) these elements but only name
them?
That || This
might mean, say, that the description of a
complex, if this complex
consisted || consists, in a
limiting case, || (in a limiting case) of only
one element || square, is simply the name of
the coloured square. || This might
mean, say, that when a complex consists, in a limiting case, of only one
square, then its description is simply the name of
the || that coloured square.
We || One might say
here – although this easily leads to all sorts of
philosophical supers
titions – that a sign
“r”
, or
“
b || b”
etc., may sometimes be a word and sometimes a
sentence.
But whether it
“ || ‘is a word or a
sentence
” || ’ depends on the
situation in which it is uttered or written.
If
e.g. A has to describe for
B complexes
of coloure
d squares and
if he uses
here the word “
r”
alone || by itself,
then we may say that the word is here a description – a
sentence.
But if
he
memorises, say, || e.g. he is
memorising the words and
their meanings || what
they mean, or if he is teaching
another || someone else the use of
the words and utters them
in connection with ostensive
teaching || while giving || with the
appropriate gesture,
then we shall not say that
they are sentences
here.
In this situation the word “
r”
, for instance, is not
a description; you
name || are
naming an element with
it
, || : – but
it would be strange to say on that
account || that's why it would be strange to say
here th
at the element can
only be
named.
Naming and describing
, in fact, are not on the same
level: naming is a preparation for describing.
When you have
named something
you || Naming || With || In naming
something you || we
have
not || haven't || haven't
yet made a move in the language game, – an
y more than
you
have || you've made a move in
36
a chess game || chess by
setting a piece || putting a piece on the
board.
We may say:
with the naming of a
thing || by giving a thing a name
nothing
has || nothing's yet been done.
It
hasn't even || yet a name
,
– except in the game.
That || This
is
also what Frege meant
by saying that a word has meaning only in
its connection
with || the context of a sentence.