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Single Idea 12629

[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / g. Conceptual atomism ]

Full Idea

Pure referentialism is the kind of semantics RTM requires (reference is the only primitive mind-world semantic property). ...So the content of a concept is its reference.

Clarification

RTM: Representational Theory of Mind

Gist of Idea

For the referential view of thought, the content of a concept is just its reference

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (LOT 2 [2008], Ch.1)

Book Ref

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'LOT 2: the Language of Thought Revisited' [OUP 2008], p.16

A Reaction

This seems to say that the meaning of a concept is (typically) a physical object, which seems to be the 'Fido'-Fido view of meaning. It seems to me to be a category mistake to say that a meaning can be a cat.

The 4 ideas with the same theme [concepts are atomic, and have no internal structure]:

12131 All concepts can be derived from a few basics, making possible one science of everything [Carnap, by Brody]
12629 For the referential view of thought, the content of a concept is just its reference [Fodor]
12631 Compositionality requires that concepts be atomic [Fodor]
11139 Maybe concepts have no structure, and determined by relations to the world, not to other concepts [Margolis/Laurence]