An evaluation on Hilary W. Putnam's theory of semantic externalism

The theory of meaning called 'Semantic Externalism' developed by Hilary W. Putnam has an important place in the philosophy of language as an original theory. In essence, Semantic Externalism claims that meaning is created not by psychological states, but by the linguistic community and the physical (external) world in which the individual lives. The theory of Semantic Externalism, the first traces of which appear in the article "Is a Theory of Semantics Possible?", is based on Putnam's three hypothetical thought experiments ("Water", "Beech-Elm" and "Aluminum-Molibden"). In the first of these experiments, Putnam designs a Twin World and constructs his theory of meaning through twins (Oscars). Reinforcing his views in other hypothetical thought experiments, Putnam then carries his views further by conducting the 'Brains in a Vat' hypothetical thought experiment. The most important effect of the theory of Semantic Externalism is that it constitutes an alternative to idealist theories of meaning. The rigid attitudes of idealist theories of meaning, whose origins can be traced back to Locke, which limit meaning to the human mind alone, were thus overcome. Against these views, which associate the formation processes of meaning only with the mind, Putnam argued that only states of mind are not effective in the formation of meaning and therefore meaning cannot be limited to the individual's mind. Putnam, who argues that the linguistic division of labor in the society in which the individual lives is effective in the process of meaning formation, drew attention to the importance of the other effective element in this process, the physical (external) world, that is, the reference. According to him, "Meaning determines the reference, if the reference changes, meaning changes". The building blocks of the theory of Semantic Externalism are meaning, scope, implication, concept, referent, stereotype, indexicality, natural type words, strict determinants, etc. and the differences, contrasts, intersections and inclusiveness that these terms create due to their definitions, scopes and functions constitute the basis of this theory.