METALANGUAGE
Charles François (2004). METALANGUAGE, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 2092.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 2092 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
1) “A language of a higher order of logic which is spoken at the metasystemic level” (J.van GIGCH, 1986a, p.3 — after St. BEER).
2) A code used for speaking or studying another language“ (J.Z. YOUNG, 1974, p.295).
J.van GIGCH adds: “Metalanguages are needed to resolve debates, conflicts or undecidability which cannot be resolved in the language or logical structure of systems at the object level” (Idem).
The necessity and nature of metalanguages became obvious after A.N. WHITEHEAD and B. RUSSELL's Theory of types and still more so after GÖDEL 's theorem.
Anyhow, undecidability always reappears at the higher considered level.