Naming Quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein
““This is connected with the conception of naming as a process that is, so to speak, occult. Naming seems to be a _strange_ connection of a word with an object. -- And such a strange connection really obtains, particularly when a philosopher tries to fathom _the_ relation between name and what is named by staring at an object in front of him and repeating a name, or even the word "this", innumerable time. For philosophical problems arise when language goes on holiday. And _then_ we may indeed imagine naming to be some remarkable mental act, as it were the baptism of an object. And we can also say the word "this" _to_ the object, as it were _address_ the object as "this" -- a strange use of this word, which perhaps occurs only when philosophizing.””
About This Quote
Wittgenstein highlights the mysterious link between language and reality, noting that naming objects is an almost magical act that obscures the true relation between words and things.
In simple terms: Naming is a puzzling mental act.
Key Takeaway
Language masks the direct connection to objects.
Themes
philosophy of language
semantics
ontology
epistemology
Mood
curious
reflective
Type
philosophical observation
analytical remark
When to use this quote
- academic lecture on language
- philosophical debate
- writing a linguistic paper
Key Concepts
signifier-signified relation
linguistic abstraction
Practical Applications
- analyzing conceptual clarity
- teaching language philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does naming shape our perception of reality?
- Can we ever escape the 'occult' nature of language?
![“If I do manage to come up with a scheme [to naming], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named after gods-Loki and Athena, who are, respectively, absolutely straightforward and affectionate, and dumber than dirt. I learned my lesson. I will name my next cat 'Satan' or 'Marduk' or…” quote by Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/85d/ursula-vernon-21101_affectionate_if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme_100482.jpg)
