Single Idea 5636

[catalogued under 18. Thought / C. Content / 2. Ideas]

Full Idea

Cartesian 'ideas' seem to be both concepts and propositions at once.

Gist of Idea

Cartesian 'ideas' confuse concepts and propositions

Source

Roger Scruton (Short History of Modern Philosophy [1981], Ch.4)

Book Reference

Scruton,Roger: 'A Short History of Modern Philosophy' [ARK 1985], p.44


A Reaction

This seems to be the simple reason why modern philosophers don't like this seventeenth century notion. There is something slightly too tidy about the modern notion of propositions built out of concepts. Animals see propositions in a flash.