Language, sense, and thought in Husserl’s transcendental logic

Abstract

We aim to investigate the interdependence between language, logic, and thought in Husserl’s Formale und transzendentale Logik. Versuch einer Kritik der logischen Vernunft [Formal and transcendental logic. Attempt at a critique of logical reason] (Hua XVII), focusing on three main dimensions: the function of language as a medium for the expression of rational truth, its dual ontology as a sensible and intentional phenomenon, and the complex relationship between thought and language. In the first section, we explore the notion of λόγος in Husserlian thought, highlighting language as a vehicle for expressing rational truth, contrasting formal logic with the logic of thought. In the second section, we analyze the dual ontology of language, arguing that it exceeds its acoustic or graphic materiality, maintaining a constancy of meaning that transcends its empirical variations. In the third section, we examine the relationship between thought and language, emphasizing intentionality as a central component in the constitution of meaning. We conclude that language is fundamental in the formation of knowledge and reality, as it operates as an ideal and universal structure that, beyond mere communication, shapes the contents of thought and spiritual life, revealing its epistemological and constitutive role in human experience.