--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Confusion of sign and object is original…" description: "\"Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with the word.\" — Willard Van Orman Quine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg" --- # Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with… ![“Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with the word.” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg) > “Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with the word.” [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The confusion between a sign and its referent is a fundamental error rooted in language itself. **In simple terms:** Confusing sign and object is a basic linguistic error. Key Takeaway Clarify signs versus objects. Themes language philosophy semantics logic error Mood analytical thoughtful serious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - academic writing - critical thinking - philosophical debate Key Concepts sign theory reference meaning philosophical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure clear sign-object relationships? - What are the limits of linguistic precision? 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Don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-original-sin-is-to-limit-the-is-don-t/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) ## More by Willard Van Orman Quine > [It is one of the consolations of philosophy that the benefit of showing how to dispense with a concept does not hinge on dispensing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/it-is-one-of-the-consolations-of-philosophy-that-the-benefit-of/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Theory may be deliberate, as in a chapter on chemistry, or it may be second nature, as in the immemorial doctrine of ordinary enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/theory-may-be-deliberate-as-in-a-chapter-on-chemistry-or-it-may-be/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The line that I am urging as today's conventional wisdom is not a denial of consciousness. 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Any so-called pragmatic definition of truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/scientific-method-is-the-way-to-truth-but-it-affords-even-in/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [ Some have said that the thesis \[of indeterminacy\] is a consequence of my behaviorism. 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We can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/we-must-not-leap-to-the-fatalistic-conclusion-that-we-are-stuck-with/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The word 'definition' has come to have a dangerously reassuring sound, owing no doubt to its frequent occurrence in logical and mathematical writings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-word-definition-has-come-to-have-a-dangerously-reassuring-sound/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Logic chases truth up the tree of grammar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/logic-chases-truth-up-the-tree-of-grammar/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Science is not a substitute for common sense, but an extension of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/science-is-not-a-substitute-for-common-sense-but-an-extension-of-it/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The variables of quantification, 'something,' 'nothing,' 'everything,' range over our whole ontology, whatever it may be; and we are convicted of a particular ontological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-variables-of-quantification-something-nothing-everything-range/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) [Explore all 67 Willard Van Orman Quine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## More Confusion quotes > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I believe confusion is good. 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Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Psychedelic drugs cause paranoia, confusion, and total loss of reality in politicians that have never taken them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/psychedelic-drugs-cause-paranoia-confusion-and-total-loss-of-reality/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [That feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something, but you don't know what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-feeling-you-get-when-you-know-you-are-forgetting-something-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [But, when it comes to global warming, the public- at-large really doesn't know whom to believe anymore. And NASA has contributed to that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/but-when-it-comes-to-global-warming-the-public-at-large-really-doesn/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) > [You know your in LOVE,because,for once.. You know reality is better than your DREAMS..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-your-in-love-because-for-once-you-know-reality-is-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. But rarely, very rarely novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/in-these-days-of-faith-cures-and-hypnotism-and-telepathy-and/) [Walter de la Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [“If you want nothing to do with god then why do you say his name all the time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-reimer/if-you-want-nothing-to-do-with-god-then-why-do-you-say-his-name-all/) [Emily Reimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-reimer/) [Browse all 1,822 Confusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with the word.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original-sin-coeval-with-the-word/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original-sin-coeval-with-the-word/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_confusion_confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original_2378106.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Confusion of sign and object is original sin coeval with the word.” — Willard Van Orman Quine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Confusion of sign and object is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original-sin-coeval-with-the-word/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/confusion-of-sign-and-object-is-original-sin-coeval-with-the-word/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```