Propositional attitudes in speech activit

Demina, Larisa

Institute of Philosophy of Saint-Petersburg State University

Propositional attitudes in speech activityLarisa Demina, Kutafin Moscow State Law Universityldemina05@mail.ruLet's stop on consideration of expression of propositional attitudes in speech activity, and alsosome receptions of the argument of a various sort of judgements.The major feature describing contexts of knowledge, that in them the facts are fixed is, thereasons, results that is that is objectively to the data. It allows relating them to a class verifiedpropositions. Basically, verified propositions there can be the contents, both knowledge, andopinions. Differences consist in the following. If the verified judgement makes the contents ofopinion of the subject it should be or is clear from a context, or is marked by the appropriateverbs: “ I think ”, “ I consider ” etc. The knowledge and opinion differ from each other also adegree of reliability: in case of knowledge takes place the truth estimation, in case of opinion–  probabilistic  estimation.  The  statement  of  knowledge  completely  excludes  not  onlyexpression  of  uncertainty  and  the  indication  on  an  opportunity  of  a  mistake,  but  alsoexpression of confidence (expression “ I am sure, that I know … ” sounds in Russian it isalmost  paradoxical).  The  opinion,  on  the  contrary,  easily  incorporates  to  expression  ofconfidence or uncertainty, or the instruction (indication) on an opportunity of an alternativestate of affairs. Ways of the argument of judgements - opinions is smaller, than ways of theargument of knowledge. As we speak about verified propositions the argument consists in anopportunity  of  the  answer  to  a  question  “  Why do you  think  so?  ”.  There  is  one  moreinteresting  linguistic  criterion  in  Russian  language  of  differentiation  of  knowledge  andopinion: it is ability to be combined with pronominal allied words (such as "who", "that","why",  "as"),  entering  subordinate  clauses.  These  entered  subordinate  clauses  refer  to  asindirect questions. To subordinate to themselves indirect questions have ability only the verbsexpressing  pronominal  allied  words  obledge.  The  special  group  is  made  with  the  verbsentering  estimated  judgements.  In  a  number  of  works two types  of estimated  judgementsdiffer: estimations - opinions and estimations - assumptions. Though verbs of opinion enterinto estimation, their behavior essentially differs from behavior in verified contexts. So, theconcept  of  probability  of  estimation  does  not  enter.  Formulating  an  estimation,  speakеrdescribes not an opportunity of realization of any state of affairs, and the sight on perceivedsubjects, the phenomena, events. The estimation is expressed considerably by smaller circle ofverbs, than verified propositions. The basic expressions is “ I think ”, “ I find ”. Estimations,as a rule, do not demand motivation, except for ethical estimations. For speaking it the own ofa verb of opinion, however, it  should realize, that the estimation of the same object otherperson can be other. The logic and linguistic behavior of estimated contexts pulls togetherthem with contexts of knowledge. So, the use of a verb of opinion in this case the same as andin case of verbs of knowledge, can explicitly be not expressed. Its explicit use emphasizessubjectivity of a stated estimation. Judgements - estimations are close to Kant’s judgements ofbelief,  and in this sense,  both of them are close to contexts  of knowledge. Opinion - theestimation expresses “ subjective knowledge ” as it has for speaking the status of subjectivetrue. A number (line) of estimated judgements does not require at all motivation and can benever denied. The same features are characteristic and for judgements of belief. Absolutelyother character has “ subjective knowledge ”. These are typical contexts of opinion which areformulated in conditions of insufficiency of the information on object when the subject ofestimation  can  state  only  the  assumption  of  those  or  his  (its)  other  qualities.  Similarestimations should be necessarily argued, they give in to verification - after direct contact ofthe  subject  of  estimation  to  estimated  object.  The  given  judgements  carry  probabilisticcharacter.115

Propositional attitudes in speech activity

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Propositional attitudes in speech activity

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Institute of Philosophy of Saint-Petersburg State University