Combining Philosophers

Ideas for H.Putnam/P.Oppenheim, Friedrich Nietzsche and Lawrence Kohlberg

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4 ideas

18. Thought / D. Concepts / 1. Concepts / a. Nature of concepts
Concepts are rough groups of simultaneous sensations [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Concepts are more or less definite groups of sensations that arrive together.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Unpublished Notebooks 1885-86 [1886], 34[086])
     A reaction: I like this because I favour accounts of concepts which root them in experience, and largely growing unthinking out of communcal experience. Nietzsche is very empirical here. Hume would probably agree.
Concepts don’t match one thing, but many things a little bit [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: A concept is an invention that doesn't correspond entirely to anything; but to many things a little bit.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Unpublished Notebooks 1885-86 [1886], 34[131])
     A reaction: This seems to cover some concepts quite well, but others not at all. What else does 'square' correspond to?
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / a. Origin of concepts
We start with images, then words, and then concepts, to which emotions attach [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Images first, the words applied to images. Finally concepts, not possible until there are words a summary of many images. When see similar images for which there is one word - this weak emotion is the common element, the foundation of the concept.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Unpublished Notebooks 1884-85 [1884], 25[168])
     A reaction: Unusual to have an account of the origin of concepts in 1884. His theory entails that animals can't have concepts, but presumably they can combine images, and hence recognise things. I think he is wrong, but interestng. Mental files.
Whatever their origin, concepts survive by being useful [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: The most useful concepts have survived: however falsely they may have originated.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Unpublished Notebooks 1885-86 [1886], 34[063])
     A reaction: The germ of both pragmatism, and of meaning-as-use, here. The alternative views must be that the concepts are accurate or true, or that they are simply a matter of whim, maintained by authority.