Single Idea 3984

[catalogued under 18. Thought / C. Content / 9. Conceptual Role Semantics]

Full Idea

All attributions of content are founded on an appreciation of the functional roles of the items in question.

Clarification

'Content' is meaning, what ideas are about

Gist of Idea

The nature of content is entirely based on its functional role

Source

Daniel C. Dennett (Daniel Dennett on himself [1994], p.239)

Book Reference

'A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind', ed/tr. Guttenplan,Samuel [Blackwell 1995], p.239


A Reaction

This seems wrong to me. How can anything's nature be its function? It must have intrinsic characteristics in order to have the function. This is an evasion.