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Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS of Wernicke's and Broca's Areas in Studies of Language Learning and Word Acquisition
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The case for eliminativism about words.

Nick Tasker1

  • 1Hertford College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Synthese
|August 24, 2022
PubMed
Summary

This paper explores arguments for eliminativism about words, questioning their existence. It examines challenges from linguistic theory and the difficulty of defining words, suggesting the case against words mirrors arguments against ordinary objects.

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Language
  • Linguistics
  • Metaphysics

Background:

  • Words are fundamental to human communication and understanding.
  • Despite their familiarity, philosophical and linguistic arguments challenge the existence of words as distinct entities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present and analyze arguments for eliminativism regarding words.
  • To explore responses to these eliminativist challenges.
  • To assess the implications of these arguments for the ontology of ordinary objects.

Main Methods:

  • Review of philosophical arguments for word eliminativism.
  • Analysis of challenges from Chomskian linguistics (Rey, Collins).
  • Examination of difficulties in establishing existence and persistence conditions for words.
Keywords:
EliminativismIllusionsMind-dependenceOrdinary objectsSLEsSlursWords

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Main Results:

  • Arguments for word eliminativism are presented, including those based on mind-dependency and explanatory redundancy.
  • Responses to these arguments are considered.
  • A parallel is drawn between eliminativism about words and eliminativism about ordinary objects.

Conclusions:

  • The arguments for eliminativism about words face significant challenges.
  • The case for word eliminativism is not demonstrably stronger than the case for eliminativism about general ordinary objects.
  • The ontological status of words remains a contentious issue in philosophy and linguistics.