A Critical Study of the Nature of Meaning in Wittgenstein’s Theory of Use of Language (An Islamic Approach)

One might ask about the meaning of something, while the nature of meaning and how one is to get the meaning are the most complicated issues in the philosophy of language. Semantics influenced by empiricism is the most prevailing approach in contemporary Western philosophy. Accordingly, only those perceptions are regarded to carry any meaning that correspond to our sense impressions capable of experience. In his theory of use of language, Wittgenstein considers the meaning as a practical use of words. His theory has greatly influenced many fields of study particularly the philosophy of education.    Having adopted a critically descriptive-analytic method, the authors analyzed the nature of meaning in Wittgenstein’s theory of use of language and then they demonstrated the nature of meaning and language games in terms of family resemblance. Due to the dominance of behaviorism and empirical trait of language with Wittgenstein, language is prior to the mind and regarded as the criterion for having meaning. Consequently, his theory is open to objections such as, the denial of fundamental principles, the impossibility of the very theory, the preference of common reason, that meaning is exclusive to common languages, and lingual idealism stemming from conventionalism in language games.