Gongsun Longzi's Argument In The White Horse

the other hand, the real white is not any concrete color; it is not determined by any particulars, and is whiteness by itself. Hence, the pure form of white is transcendent, absolute and universal. Likewise, horse, as a form, is the essence that defines every particular horse; it has no concrete shape or color, but is pure horse-ness. In this way, Gongsun distinguishes two realms of existence, one in which particular objects dwells, and the other in which the universal and absolute forms exist. The universals are ontologically independent of the particulars, and manifest themselves through the sensible qualities of objects. Therefore, by claiming that a white horse is not a horse, Gongsun Longzi can be interpreted as arguing for the distinction

If names are defined by the essential properties of objects, which are public, then people will share complete communal understanding, and what one intends to express will not be misinterpreted. Hence, the debate over the paradox would not exist in the first place. In effect, the entire argumentation corroborates Zhuangzi’s claim that language is unfixed, and there exist multiple explanations respecting an

Ideas are are private and fully subjective, which are determined by personal experience and feelings. An ecologist and a fisherman are likely to attach different ideas to the word water, although the meaning of water is determined by H2O. Since ideas are part of the private mind, they do not constitute the public meanings of names. Nevertheless, under the influence of subjective conception, people are biased in their usage of words. By using the metaphor this feels like water, a hydrophobic man expresses anxiety, while a professional swimmer suggests comfort. Furthermore, private ideas make it impossible to fully specify the subjectivity of experience, which constitutes another barrier to complete communal understanding. I tell my friend that I hate cheese, by which he knows that cheese displeases me; nonetheless, he does not understand in what way and to what extent my exact feeling is. Although I can further specify each moment of my traumatizing experience with cheese and how these past events collectively formulate my current idea, such an explanation involves more choices of words with more personal ideas attached, which eventually becomes an almost infinite process. Hence, subjective experience renders ideas private, while private ideas make it impossible to fully specify the subjectivity of experience. Consequently, people