Constraining Meanings With Contextuality

In this paper, we defend two claims. First, we argue that a notion of contextuality that has been formalized in physics and psychology is applicable to linguistic contexts. Second, we propose that this formal apparatus is philosophically significant for the epistemology of language because it impose...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Foundations of science 2024-06, Vol.29 (2), p.521-541
Main Authors: de Barros, J. Acacio, Montemayor, Carlos, De Assis, Leonardo P. G., Skokowsi, Paul, Perry, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Education
Epistemology
Linguistics
Mathematical Logic and Foundations
Methodology of the Social Sciences
Philosophy
Philosophy of Science
Principles
Psychology
Quantum physics
Semantics
Variables
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Summary:In this paper, we defend two claims. First, we argue that a notion of contextuality that has been formalized in physics and psychology is applicable to linguistic contexts. Second, we propose that this formal apparatus is philosophically significant for the epistemology of language because it imposes homogeneous rational constraints on speakers. We propose a Contextuality Principle that explains and articulates these two claims. This principle states that speakers update contextual information by significantly reducing the space of probabilities and variables in a non-commutative way. Some contexts affect other contexts not merely in terms of the information they contain, but also on the basis of their sequential order. In particular, we argue that the Contextuality by Default (CBD) theory provides a formalism that helps explain the role of contextuality in rational linguistic exchanges.
ISSN:1233-1821
1572-8471
DOI:10.1007/s10699-022-09859-9