Grice's Frown

No. Not when he saw the nine betes noires. Rather an innocuous example that gives the title to a rather good essay by Virginia-based philosopher M. S. Green in "Philosophica Facta": "Grice's Frown: expression and meaning". The quote is from WoW:219:


"Though in general

a deliberate frown

may
have the same effect (with respect to inducing
a belief in my displeasure) as

a spontaneous frown,

it can be expected to have the same
effect only _provided_ the audience takes it
as intended to convey displeasure.

That is,
if we take away the recognition of intention,
leaving the other circumstances

(including the
recognition of the frown as deliberate),

the
belief-producing tendency of the frown must be
regarded as being impaired or destroyed."

--- Exactly, and I have a nightmare that if I fail to recognise this my own frown will be destroyed or impaired, too.

JLS