The relationship between language, thought and meaning in the pragmatic philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce

This thesis study, examines the relationship between language, thought, and meaning in the pragmatic philosophy of Charles S. Peirce. Through his development of the pragmatic method and his theory of semiotics, Peirce became a pioneer of modern philosophy of language. His pragmatic method aims to clarify closed expressions and metaphysical concepts in propositions. From this point, he chooses to divide the manifestation of the subject rather than dividing existence. Peirce's categories are phenomenological in structure and consist of Firstness, Secondness, and Thirdness. As a demarcationist philosopher, Peirce attempts to bring the sciences together under the umbrella of his own phenomenology. According to the philosopher, experience creates language, which in turn creates thought, and thought creates meaning. There are three different approaches to the relationship between language, thought, and meaning. The first group argues that thought is primary and language is a tool; the second group argues that language and thought are one; and the third group argues that language creates thought. Since pragmatism is a philosophy of life, its theory of meaning is based on usage. Propositions that contribute to solving problems faced by humans and those that classify indicators are meaningful. The self classifies indicators, constantly receives and sends indicators, and even becomes an indicator itself. The dialogical structure of the self establishes the connection between the self and the world, the self and humans, and the self and society. Meaning is contextual, not fixed. When time and place change, the context changes as well. Therefore, attempts to fix meaning and to reduce the plurality of language to a single form are futile. Using his theory of semiotic play, Peirce evaluates all linguistic expressions as momentary sign (language) games in everyday life.