Keyword: Early Chinese Philosophy of Language
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Fraser, Chris. Language and Ontology in Early Chinese Thought
2007, Philosophy East and West, 57(4), pp. 420–456.
Topics: Grammar and Meaning; Mereology; Ontology Metaontology and Social Ontology; Philosophy of Language Keywords: Early Chinese Philosophy of Language; Early Chinese Thought; Mass Noun; nominalism
Traditions: Analytic; Comparative/Intercultural; East Asian Languages: Chinese (Ancient/Classical); English
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Added by: Veronica Cibotaru
Abstract:

This essay critiques Chad Hansen’s "mass noun hypothesis," arguing that though most Classical Chinese nouns do function as mass nouns, this fact does not support the claim that pre-Qin thinkers treat the extensions of common nouns as mereological wholes, nor does it explain why they adopt nominalist semantic theories. The essay shows that early texts explain the use of common nouns by appeal to similarity relations, not mereological relations. However, it further argues that some early texts do characterize the relation between individuals and collections as a mereological relation.

Comment: This article constitutes a useful introduction to early Chinese philosophy of language and ontology while offering a new perspective on the notion of the mass noun, which is central in contemporary semantics.
Difficulty: Advanced, Intermediate
Recommended use: Further, Specialised
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