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What Wittgenstein would say is that the rules of language are essential to it. He stated that even the simplest language of three words would still need rules for those words to be successful at communication. Rules change in response to human needs, and they are never set in stone, but they still exist and are essential. The meaning of a word is its use in daily life, he said, so context is very important in understanding meaning. He includes gestures as part of language because we communicate through both words and gestures.

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Douglas Giles, PhD
Douglas Giles, PhD

Written by Douglas Giles, PhD

Philosopher by trade & temperament, professor for 21 years, bringing philosophy out of its ivory tower and into everyday life. https://dgilesauthor.com/

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