Single Idea 16288

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 1. Nature of Analysis]

Full Idea

The object of analysis is to reduce our burden of primitive notions, and to make tacit understanding explicit - not to bootstrap ourselves into understanding what we didn't understand at all beforehand.

Gist of Idea

Analysis reduces primitives and makes understanding explicit (without adding new knowledge)

Source

David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 3.2)

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [Blackwell 2001], p.154


A Reaction

I am particularly keen on the idea of 'making tacit understanding explicit'. I connect this with faith in intuition, and with the coherence view of justification.