Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus · Chapter
3.3 explained
This proposition asserts that sense is a property of propositions alone, and that names only acquire meaning within the context of a proposition.
What happens
This proposition asserts that sense is a property of propositions alone, and that names only acquire meaning within the context of a proposition.
Themes in this chapter
Limits of Language and Thought
The proposition highlights the boundary of sense, which is only found in propositions, not in isolated names.
Logical Atomism
The distinction between names and propositions reflects the atomic structure of language and reality.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Wittgenstein
Author of the proposition.
Key passages
“Only the proposition has sense; only in the context of a proposition has a name meaning.”
A proposition is the only bearer of sense; a name gains meaning only when used within a proposition.
Clarifies the dependency of name meaning on propositional context.