The dichotomy of subjectivity versus objectivity doesn't apply to real objects. Anything that is real is objectively real. Nothing can be subjectively real. That's nonsense. Am I right to say that this dichotomy only applies to statements?
I think subjectivity versus objectivity is just a manifestation of the way language works. If the meaning of a statement depends on who is saying it, then it is subjective. Of course we translate the subjective into objective all the time, and we use context to do so.
Example:
If someone just said "I was here", that objectively means "The speaker was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at some prior time that should be specified by the context."
If Chuck Norris just said "I was here", that objectively means "Chuck Norris was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at some prior time that should be specified by the context."
If he said it in response to "Where were you at 7 am?" by somebody in Kentucky, then it objectively means "Chuck Norris was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at 2014/05/11 12:00 UT."
It is my contention that "subjectivity" merely describes statements whose meaning depends upon the context, and that it's nonsensical to apply the term to any other non-linguistic aspects of reality such as mental states or physical laws. Yes, descriptions of sensory states are subjective because some people are color blind or tone deaf, but the mental states are real. No, physical laws are not descriptions of reality, they are reality; you are confusing the representation with the thing being represented.
I think subjectivity versus objectivity is just a manifestation of the way language works. If the meaning of a statement depends on who is saying it, then it is subjective. Of course we translate the subjective into objective all the time, and we use context to do so.
Example:
If someone just said "I was here", that objectively means "The speaker was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at some prior time that should be specified by the context."
If Chuck Norris just said "I was here", that objectively means "Chuck Norris was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at some prior time that should be specified by the context."
If he said it in response to "Where were you at 7 am?" by somebody in Kentucky, then it objectively means "Chuck Norris was at the place where he was at 2014/05/11 13:14 UT at 2014/05/11 12:00 UT."
It is my contention that "subjectivity" merely describes statements whose meaning depends upon the context, and that it's nonsensical to apply the term to any other non-linguistic aspects of reality such as mental states or physical laws. Yes, descriptions of sensory states are subjective because some people are color blind or tone deaf, but the mental states are real. No, physical laws are not descriptions of reality, they are reality; you are confusing the representation with the thing being represented.
