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Full Idea
There are practically no defensible examples of definitions; for all the examples we've got, practically all the words (/concepts) are undefinable.
Gist of Idea
We have no successful definitions, because they all use indefinable words
Source
Jerry A. Fodor (Concepts:where cogn.science went wrong [1998], Ch.3)
Book Ref
Fodor,Jerry A.: 'Concepts: where cognitive science went wrong' [OUP 1998], p.45
A Reaction
I don't think a definition has to be defined all the way down. Aristotle is perfectly happy if you can get a concept you don't understand down to concepts you do. Understanding is the test, not further definitions.
6650 | Fodor is now less keen on the innateness of concepts [Fodor, by Lowe] |
12616 | English has no semantic theory, just associations between sentences and thoughts [Fodor] |
12613 | Empiricists use dispositions reductively, as 'possibility of sensation' or 'possibility of experimental result' [Fodor] |
12617 | Associationism can't explain how truth is preserved [Fodor] |
12615 | Mental representations are the old 'Ideas', but without images [Fodor] |
12614 | I prefer psychological atomism - that concepts are independent of epistemic capacities [Fodor] |
12618 | It is essential to the concept CAT that it be satisfied by cats [Fodor] |
12619 | We have no successful definitions, because they all use indefinable words [Fodor] |
12620 | If 'exist' is ambiguous in 'chairs and numbers exist', that mirrors the difference between chairs and numbers [Fodor] |
12621 | Definable concepts have constituents, which are necessary, individuate them, and demonstrate possession [Fodor] |
12622 | Many concepts lack prototypes, and complex prototypes aren't built from simple ones [Fodor] |
12623 | The theory theory can't actually tell us what concepts are [Fodor] |