Single Idea 21475

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / b. Empirical concepts]

Full Idea

The entire property of a concept consists in nothing more than what has been begged and borrowed from perceptual knowledge, which is the true and inexhaustible source of all insight.

Gist of Idea

All of our concepts are borrowed from perceptual knowledge

Source

Arthur Schopenhauer (Parerga and Paralipomena [1851], I:9)

Book Reference

Schopenhauer,Arthur: 'Essays and Aphorisms [from Pand P]', ed/tr. Hollingdale,R.J. [Penguin 1970], p.118


A Reaction

Schopenhauer is usually seen as a sort of idealist, but this is a full endorsement of the empirical view of concepts, to which I largely subscribe. Note that he talks of 'knowledge', rather than of 'experience'.