Return to Saussure

Introduction This article critically examines Bertrand Russell's philosophy of language as articulated in An Outline of Philosophy , focusing on his behaviorist perspective. Russell challenges traditional views of language, arguing that it arises from learned, conditioned responses rather than being a direct expression of pre-formed thoughts. He proposes that words are not fixed symbols but physical events, with meaning emerging from habitual actions rather than abstract concepts. The article evaluates Russell’s behaviorist model by engaging with two influential linguistic theories: Noam Chomsky's theory of Universal Grammar, which emphasizes innate cognitive structures, and Ferdinand de Saussure's structuralism, which posits that meaning arises from the relational system of signs. By comparing these theories, the article explores the tensions between Russell’s empirical approach and the cognitive and structural insights offered by Chomsky and Saussure. Russell’s Phi...