ABSTRACT
Intentionality is central to semantics. For Hume, intentionality is based in the continuous existence of objects of perception. These, in turn, originate in complex impressions with the qualities of “constancy” and “coherence of change.” On these grounds, I argue that Hume’s semantics is empiricist. I also show how this approach overcomes the problem with objective content that premises Bennett’s classic meaning empiricist interpretation of Hume, curtails the anti-empiricist excesses of Garrett’s meaning holistic interpretation, and denies Fodor’s contention that a Humean, copy-based semantics is non-compositional by refuting the applicability of Fodor’s picture principle to Hume’s semantically relevant complex impressions.
