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Single Idea 11859

[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / a. Origin of concepts ]

Full Idea

The mind conceptualizes objects; yet objects impinge upon the mind.

Gist of Idea

The mind conceptualizes objects; yet objects impinge upon the mind

Source

David Wiggins (Sameness and Substance Renewed [2001], 3.6)

Book Ref

Wiggins,David: 'Sameness and Substance Renewed' [CUP 2001], p.105


A Reaction

I like this piece of simple common sense. I personally don't think you can reach first base in a sensible discussion if you don't face up to both sides of this idea (especially the second half, which many philosophers, especially of language, neglect).


The 12 ideas with the same theme [general ideas on the origin of mental concepts]:

Concepts are ordered, and show eternal possibilities, deriving from God [Leibniz, by Arthur,R]
Some concepts can be made a priori, which are general thoughts of objects, like quantity or cause [Kant]
We start with images, then words, and then concepts, to which emotions attach [Nietzsche]
Whatever their origin, concepts survive by being useful [Nietzsche]
We use concepts to master our fears; saying 'death' releases us from confronting it [Cioran]
We reach concepts by clarification, or by definition, or by habitual experience [Price,HH]
The mind does not lift concepts from experience; it creates them, and then applies them [Geach]
The mind conceptualizes objects; yet objects impinge upon the mind [Wiggins]
Nobody knows how concepts are acquired [Fodor]
The concept 'red' is tied to what actually individuates red things [Peacocke]
Concepts and generalisations result from brain 'global mapping' by 'reentry' [Edelman/Tononi, by Searle]
Concepts arise when the brain maps its own activities [Edelman/Tononi]