TO THE ISSUE OF THE FORM AND MATTER IN PHILOSOPHY AND LANGUAGE IN COMPARISON OF SCIENTIFIC VIEWS OF A. MARTY AND W. WUNDT

According to W. Humboldt, the language consists of the matter (substance) and form. “Real matter of the language is, on the one hand, a sound in general and, on the other hand, a complex of sensory impressions and involuntary movement of the spirit which precede the formation of a concept that is created with the language”. It is impossible to speak about a linguistic matter without meaning a form: “in the absolute sense, there cannot be any unformed matter in the language”; in particular a sound “becomes articulate due to giving it a form”. The form, not minor matter, is the essence of the language.

Contrast between the form and matter was terminologically created by Aristotle, but conceptually outlined by Plato.

The article studies the concepts “the form”, “the matter” – ambiguity, characteristics, relationships, and the use of these concepts in philosophy and linguistics. The concepts of “form” and “matter” are everywhere. To some extent, however, the form in relation to the matter is more important and, therefore, basic. The content, in its turn, may also be opposed to the form. The paper proves the ambiguity of form and matter on the examples (from Aristotle and Kant to contemporary philosophers and linguists). The definition of the matter as the “material” (on the one hand) and “form” (the other hand) is given. It shows how important for the development of the meaning of “form” is the view of the “shape” in terms of image. This article contrasts the views of the German linguist A. Marty and the German philosopher and linguist W. Wundt on the concepts “form” and “matter”. A. Marty, through bringing substantial arguments, proves Wundt's erroneous views.