Language – Thought – Reality: The Stoic Theory of λεκτόν

Weronika Kuncewicz

doi:10.18290/rf25734.10

Published : 2025-12-29

Vol. 73 No. 4 (2025)

Language – Thought – Reality: The Stoic Theory of λεκτόν

Weronika Kuncewicz

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rf25734.10

Abstract

In the article I reconstruct the essential terms of the Stoic semiotics. I believe a careful philological analysis seems to be a key for elucidating statements appearing in sources which commonly are regarded as unclear or self-contradictory, and for bringing to light a highly original theory of reference, with special regard to the notion of lekton (meaning of a sentence). Since the Stoics quite consistently differentiate between two synonymous verbs hyphestanai and hyparkhein, I propose to introduce two modes of existence: “dependent on phantasia” and “dependent on the somaton”, respectively. Given the analysis of axiomata (proposition) and some other detailed concepts, it becomes possible to reconstruct an interesting, ontologically economic theory of a great explanatory value, whereby true propositions remain tightly connected to the real world, whereas false propositions entail a looser relationship, but the existence of such propositions in the world is sufficiently corroborated.

Keywords:

semiotics, stoicism, lekton (sayable), theory of propositions

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Kuncewicz, W. (2025). Language – Thought – Reality: The Stoic Theory of λεκτόν. Roczniki Filozoficzne, 73(4), 177–206. https://doi.org/10.18290/rf25734.10

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