understanding

understanding
To have a word, or a picture, or any other object in one's mind seems to be one thing, but to understand it is quite another. A major target of the later work of Wittgenstein is the suggestion that this understanding is achieved by a further presence, so that words might be understood if they are accompanied by ideas, for example; Wittgenstein insists that the extra presence merely raises the same kind of problem again. The better suggestion is that understanding is to be thought of as possession of a technique, or skill, and this is the point of the slogan that ‘meaning is use’. The idea is congenial to pragmatism and hostile to ineffable and incommunicable understandings. See also meaning, private language, verstehen .

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Understanding — Un der*stand ing, n. 1. The act of one who understands a thing, in any sense of the verb; knowledge; discernment; comprehension; interpretation; explanation. [1913 Webster] 2. An agreement of opinion or feeling; adjustment of differences;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understanding — I (agreement) noun accord, accordance, alliance, arrangement, common view, compact, compliance, concord, concordance, congruence, consentaneity, contract, cooperation, covenant, harmony, like mindedness, meeting of minds, mutual pledge, pact,… …   Law dictionary

  • understanding — [adj] accepting, tolerant compassionate, considerate, discerning, empathetic, forbearing, forgiving, generous, kind, kindly, patient, perceptive, responsive, sensitive, sympathetic; concepts 401,542 Ant. intolerant, unaccepting understanding [n1] …   New thesaurus

  • Understanding — Un der*stand ing ([u^]n d[ e]r*st[a^]nd [i^]ng), a. Knowing; intelligent; skillful; as, he is an understanding man. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • understanding — UK US /ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ noun [C] ► an informal agreement: »Taiwan and Hong Kong reached an understanding for a five year commercial air agreement. → See Note AGREEMENT(Cf. ↑agreement) …   Financial and business terms

  • understanding — [un΄dərstan′diŋ] n. 1. the mental quality, act, or state of a person who understands; comprehension, knowledge, discernment, sympathetic awareness, etc. 2. the power or ability to think, learn, judge, etc.; intelligence; sense 3. a specific… …   English World dictionary

  • understanding — (n.) O.E. understandincge comprehension, from UNDERSTAND (Cf. understand) (q.v.). Meaning mutual agreement is attested from 1803 …   Etymology dictionary

  • understanding — 1 *reason, intuition Analogous words: comprehension, apprehension (see under APPREHEND): *discernment, discrimination, insight, penetration 2 *agreement, accord …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • understanding — ► NOUN 1) the ability to understand something. 2) the power of abstract thought; intellect. 3) an individual s perception or judgement of a situation. 4) sympathetic awareness or tolerance. 5) an informal or unspoken agreement or arrangement. ►… …   English terms dictionary

  • understanding — noun 1 knowledge of a subject, of how sth works, etc. ADJECTIVE ▪ complete, comprehensive, full ▪ He showed a full understanding of the sequence of events. ▪ growing ▪ accurate …   Collocations dictionary

  • understanding — I adj. understanding about, of II n. agreement 1) to arrive at, come to, reach an understanding 2) a clear; secret; tacit; verbal; written understanding 3) an understanding about; with (we reached a tacit understanding with them about the matter) …   Combinatory dictionary

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