--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... two men could be just alike in all…" description: "\"... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions to verbal behavior under all possible sensory stimulations, and yet themeanings or ideas expr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg" --- # ... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions… ![“... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions to verbal behavior under all possible sensory stimulations, and yet themeanings or ideas expressed in their identically triggered and identically sounding utterances could diverge radically, for the two men, in a wide range of cases.” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg) > “... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions to verbal behavior under all possible sensory stimulations, and yet themeanings or ideas expressed in their identically triggered and identically sounding utterances could diverge radically, for the two men, in a wide range of cases.” [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 quote illustrates that identical external behavior can mask vastly different internal meanings, showing that language and thought are not directly observable. **In simple terms:** Same words can mean different things for different people. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden assumptions in communication. Themes language philosophy meaning interpretation cognition Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - dialogue - teaching - cross‑cultural interaction - legal testimony - AI language processing Key Concepts semantic indeterminacy behaviorism conceptual analysis mind‑body problem Questions to Reflect On - What hidden meanings might you be overlooking? - How do you verify understanding beyond words? A Different Perspective Assuming identical utterances share meaning can lead to misunderstanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alike Dispositions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alike-dispositions-3205941/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Disposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposition/) [Expressed Identically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expressed-identically-3205944/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Identically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identically-1291284/) [Identically Sounding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identically-sounding-3205942/) [Intentionality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentionality/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Range](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/range/) [Sensory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensory/) [Stimulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stimulation/) [Triggered Identically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triggered-identically-3205943/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Utterance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utterance/) [Wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wide/) ## Related quotes > [No person is the same, and so you can't treat each player identically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rijkaard/no-person-is-the-same-and-so-you-can-t-treat-each-player-identically/) [Frank Rijkaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rijkaard/) > [An indirect quotation we can usually expect to rate only as better or worse, more or less faithful, and we cannot even hope for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/an-indirect-quotation-we-can-usually-expect-to-rate-only-as-better-or/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [“Emotional intentionality is not about manipulating the actors in your play to create the right scene. 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They want to get better at their craft of breaking jaws just as you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-nayeri/never-believe-that-villains-are-hurting-people-by-accident-they-want/) [Daniel Nayeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-nayeri/) > [Experience and imagination must enter into the very constitution of our thoughts involving concrete individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeno-vendler/experience-and-imagination-must-enter-into-the-very-constitution-of/) [Zeno Vendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeno-vendler/) > [It is through the intentionality of poetic imagination that the poet's soul discovers the opening of consciousness common to all true poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/it-is-through-the-intentionality-of-poetic-imagination-that-the-poet/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [“Unplugging from digital distractions is an act of radical self-care and rebellion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-breniman/unplugging-from-digital-distractions-is-an-act-of-radical-self-care/) [Ken Breniman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-breniman/) ## 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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Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) [J. 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Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions to verbal behavior under all possible sensory stimulations, and yet themeanings or ideas expressed in their identically triggered and identically sounding utterances could diverge radically, for the two men, in a wide range of cases.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their-dispositions-to-verbal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their-dispositions-to-verbal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/183/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_behavior_two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their_2765964.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... two men could be just alike in all their dispositions to verbal behavior under all possible sensory…” — 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": "... two men could be just...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their-dispositions-to-verbal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/two-men-could-be-just-alike-in-all-their-dispositions-to-verbal/#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 } } ] } ```