Between Language And Meaning Logical Context

In the Chinese ancient logical history, word and meaning was an important logicalcategory. The argument between word and meaning prevailed in Wei-Jin dynasties. The meaning of argument between word and meaning is to explore whether people can grasp the phenomenon, essence and progress law of a thing by using the words and language. It is also that whether words and language can express the peoples thought. The argument is about the problem relationship between words and thought. The focus of this argument is that whether words can exactly express the peoples thought and the external thing. It is also that whether words can express the thought and thought can exist without words.The argument between words and idea includes the relationship between Ming and Shi, language and thought. It belongs to the problem of logical philosophy. In the words of logic, words and diction are language and character, and meaning is thought. In Wei-Jin dynasties, the argument between word and meaning included two main opposite viewpoints. The one was that "word could not express the meaning", which was the representative viewpoint of Wang Bi. It focused that the essence of thing can not be entirety understood by people. Another one was that "word could express the meaning", which was the representative viewpoint of Ou Yang-Jian. It focused that the essence of thing can be entirety understood by people. In this dissertation, from the logical point, we have reviewed their opinions about the argument between word and meaning and their way used to verify their opinions. The theoretic and practical role of the argument between word and meaning in Wei-Jin dynasties was also discussed.The premise of "words could not express the idea" to discuss the words and idea isthe idealistic Ming Shi Guan and Zheng Ming Guan. About the solution to the argument between word and meaning, and the understanding ability of human being, Wang Bi knew that the understanding ability of human being was both non-consummate and consummate. But he paid more attention to that the understanding ability of human being was non-consummate. He knew that the process of human beings to understand a thing is complicated and zigzag. However, Ou Yang-Jian knew that the understanding ability of human being was consummate but did not know the understanding ability of human being was non-consummate. From the materialistic point, he thought that human beings could understand a thing in a short time and human beings could not only know the phenomenon of thing but also could grasp the essence and the law of thing. This point simplified and mechanized the process of human beings to understand a thing. In discussing the issue of "getting idea but losing the words", the main method of Wang Bi was the intuition. But, Ou Yang-Jian exercised the rational method of logic to discuss "words could express the idea". Wang Bi knew that the psychic ambit and faith of people can not be entirety expressed by the language and it also can not be proved by logical method. He knew that, in the word, there were some things that could not be expressed by Ming and language. He also knew that lansign had its relativity and limit.He knew the discrimination, conflict between ignored language and the expressed thought. Thereby, he thought that the relationship between word and meaning was an active and contradictive process. However, Ou Yang-Jian grasped closely the consistency between Ming and Wu, word and meaning to express his viewpoint of words and idea. He knew the consistency between word and meaning, but ignored the contradiction existed in word and meaning. He regarded Ming Cheng as an important tool to distinguish the thing and to express the thought. He affirmed that Ming Cheng and Gai Nian had the important role in understanding and distinguishing a thing. He also affirmed that it was possible to rationally grasp the law of a thing by the method of logic. He believed that human being could use Ming and language to reflect the thing existed in the word and could use logical thought to reach the truth in the word.In conclusion, the argument between word and meaning in Wei-Jin dynasties brought about the important influence on language and thought to people at that time and to the offspring. It brought about a new thought-way:It breaks through the finity and brings infinity, breaks through the concretion and brings abstract, breaks through the concept and brings implication. It was this argument that greatly promoted the people level of thought and debate, exploited their mental view, and cultivated their aesthetical ability, which brought about a profound influence on the Buddhism and the birth of Shong Min Li Xue. It also had the great influence on the literature, art and et al. The discussion of the argument between word and meaning of Wei-Jin dynasties had important role in enlightening our further thinking about the relationship between word and meaning and in deepening the study of logical category between word and meaning.