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Verification Criteria of Meaning (thing)
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by
wyv
Tue Oct 10 2000 at 22:16:34
The
Verification Criteria of Meaning
states that the meaning of an
empirical
sentence is its own
verification conditions
.
Empirical statements
are those statements whose
truth
is not
intrinsic
to the statement itself. In order for an empirical statement to be proven true, it must be
scientifically verified
(meet certain verification conditions) by
observable phenomenon
. The VCM claims that the verification conditions that must be met are defined by the meaning of the sentence itself.
For example, consider the empirical statement, βThe
temperature
is 68'F.β The meaning of this statement is that the temperature is 68'F. According to the VCM, in order to prove this statement is
truthful
, you must meet the
verification condition
that the temperature is indeed 68'F. To do this, you can look at a
thermometer
. If the thermometer claims that the temperature is 68'F, you have met the verification conditions, and have proven the empirical statement true.
The VCM is itself an empirical sentence, because it is not an
intrinsically true
statement. Because the VCM is empirical, it seems
logical
to apply it to itself. When applied to itself, the VCM states that its own verification conditions are its meaning. Unfortunately, (according to the VCM) its meaning is also its own verification conditions. This recursive cycle continues into
infinity
.
The VCM, having no observable verification conditions to prove its truth, seems to β
commit suicide
β and prove itself false.
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Vienna Circle
Empirical
empiricism
Nullius in verba
Adventures in Modern Recording
Skied
thermometer
temperature
Russell's paradox
phenomenon