Language consists of dispositions, socially instilled, to respond observably to
socially observable stimuli. Such is the point of view from which a noted philosopher and logician
examines the notion of meaning and the linguistic mechanisms of objective reference. In the course
of the discussion, Professor Quine pinpoints the difficulties involved in translation, brings to
light the anomalies and conflicts implicit in our language's referential apparatus, clarifies
semantic problems connected with the imputation of existence, and marshals reasons for admitting or
repudiating each of various categories of supposed objects. He argues that the notion of a
language-transcendent "sentence-meaning" must on the whole be rejected; meaningful studies in the
semantics of reference can only be directed toward substantially the same language in which they are
conducted.