Principle of charity

In philosophy and rhetoric, the principle of charity is an approach to understanding a logical argument where you render the best, strongest possible interpretation of an argument's meaning. The goal of this methodological principle is to help people trying to understand or evaluate the truth of an argument from introducing a logical fallacy or other error into an argument that is not inherent to it. Simon Blackburn has described it as "it constrains the interpreter to maximize the truth or rationality in the subject's sayings."

Related Topics:
Logical argument - Logical fallacy - Simon Blackburn

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It was named in 1958-59 by Neil L. Wilson, and Willard Van Orman Quine and Donald Davidson (philosopher) are associated with different formulations of the principle of charity. Davidson also sometimes referred to it as the principle of rational accommodation. He summed it up as: We make maximum sense of the words and thoughts of others when we interpret in a way that optimises agreement.

Related Topics:
Neil L. Wilson - Willard Van Orman Quine - Donald Davidson (philosopher)

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A supplement to the principle of charity is the principle of humanity, which states that when interpreting another speaker we must assume that his or her beliefs and desires are connected to each other and to reality in some way, and attribute to him or her "the propositional attitudes one supposes one would have oneself in those circumstances" (Daniel Dennet, "Mid-Term Examination," p. 343). The principle of humanity was named by Richard Grandy in 1973.

Related Topics:
Principle of humanity - Daniel Dennet - Richard Grandy

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