Single Idea 9849

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / i. Conceptual priority]

Full Idea

One powerful argument for a thesis that one notion is conceptually prior to another is the possibility of defining the first without reference to the second.

Gist of Idea

Maybe a concept is 'prior' to another if it can be defined without the second concept

Source

Michael Dummett (Frege philosophy of mathematics [1991], Ch.12)

Book Reference

Dummett,Michael: 'Frege: philosophy of mathematics' [Duckworth 1991], p.145


A Reaction

You'd better check whether you can't also define the second without reference to the first before you rank their priority. And maybe 'conceptual priority' is conceptually prior to 'definition' (i.e. definition needs a knowledge of priority). Help!