In the third chapter Williamson argues that it is false that analytic truths differ from synthetic ones by being true ‘in virtue of meaning’. For Williamson the intended contrast is that synthetic truths are true because a) they mean what they do and b) things are as the meaning requires. However, analytic truths need only to satisfy a) to be true. Williamson believes analytic truths need to also satisfy a) and b) to be true. Williamson believes that if analytic truths are true by only satisfying a) then it is only because we take b) for granted. Williamson claims that “[i]t is no good to say “Never mind whether barristers are lawyers; ‘Barristers are lawyers’ is true simply because it means that barristers are lawyers”.”
1. If analytic truths are true only because a) they mean what they do then ‘barristers are lawyers’ is true simply because it means that barristers are lawyers.
2. ~ Barristers are lawyers’ is true simply because it means that barristers are lawyers.
3. :. ~ Analytic truths are true only because a) they mean what they do.I believe premise 2. is false. The reasons given in support for 2. are that Williamson claims that we take b) for granted and says it is no good to do that. However, b) is not doing anything in the case of analytic truths. For synthetic truths such as ‘Barbara is a barrister’ a) supplies the meaning and b) confirms if the meaning is the case. b) does not confirm if the supplied meaning is the meaning of ‘Barbara is a barrister’. However, for a synthetic truth such as ‘Barristers are lawyers’ a) supplies the meaning again and b) confirms if the meaning is the meaning. Thus ‘Barristers are lawyers’ is true because a) ‘Barristers are lawyers’ means that barristers are a kind of lawyer who are people who have a law degree and passed the bar exam, are lawyers, who are people who have a law degree and passed the bar exam and b) confirms if it is the case that ‘Barristers are lawyers’ means that barristers are a kind of lawyer who are people who have a law degree and passed the bar exam, are lawyers, who are people who have a law degree and passed the bar exam. For synthetic truth b) need not confirm if the meaning (a)) is true, it simply confirms if a) is the case. But, for analytic truths b) simply confirm a) is true, though a) is already claiming to be true. Barrister means lawyer. Consequently analytic truths are true only because a) they mean what they do, which makes 2. false