The Features And Meaning Of The Evolution Of Putnam’s Semantics Theory

In the middle of the 20th century, in the field of philosophy of language, Putnam is a philosopher who is thought to have an important position, and the theory of semantics he proposed played a major role in the development of philosophy of language. He formed the semantics theory system which is focus on the reference、meaning and truth, but his early and later views are very different in many aspects, and the shift of his semantics theory also reflected the transformation of his relevant standpoint of philosophy. This paper is divided into three parts to elaborating the features and meaning of the evolution of Putnam’s semantics. The first part have discussed the evolution of his semantics from early to late; the second part have expounded the features of evolution; and the third part have detailed the important meaning to the development of philosophy of language that the evolution of the semantics has. The transformation of Putnam’thought in his life includes many aspects. The purpose of this paper is regard semantics theory as the main line, aim to exploring the change characteristics of its philosophical position. the main characteristics including three aspects:the realism to the weak-realism, the absoluteness to the relativity, and the essentialism to the pragmatism. Descriptions of the three features mainly according to the analysis of the basic semantics ideas shift from early to late. This paper also have made the objective evaluation to the External semantics theory in the early and the Inner semantics theory in the late. Because of the External semantics theory criticized the traditional semantics theory, it is of great influence and significance, but it also face difficulties which can’t overcome. Therefore Inner semantics theory have been forming in the late. The Inner semantics theory have developed the External semantics theory critically, and resolved the problems which the External semantics theory have. The evolution of semantics has three meaning:mix together the subjectivity and the objectivity, the fact and the value, the Rational factors and. the Irrational factors. As a result.This paper is necessary to exploring the evaluation of Putnam’s semantics theory. And the final aim is having a more comprehensive understanding about the development of Putnam’theory in his whole life.