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Single Idea 14329

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 2. Powers as Basic ]

Full Idea

There is no a priori necessity for supposing that all disposition properties must have a 'categorical base'. In particular, there may be some mental dispositions which are ultimate.

Gist of Idea

Some dispositional properties (such as mental ones) may have no categorical base

Source

H.H. Price (Thinking and Experience [1953], Ch.XI)

Book Ref

Price,H.H.: 'Thinking and Experience' [Hutchinson 1953], p.322

A Reaction

I take the notion that mental dispositions could be ultimate as rather old-fashioned, but I agree with the notion that dispositions might be more fundamental that categorical (actual) properties. Personally I like 'powers'.

The 13 ideas from H.H. Price

10644 A 'felt familiarity' with universals is more primitive than abstraction [Price,HH]
10645 We reach concepts by clarification, or by definition, or by habitual experience [Price,HH]
10646 Our understanding of 'dog' or 'house' arises from a repeated experience of concomitances [Price,HH]
9031 The basic concepts of conceptual cognition are acquired by direct abstraction from instances [Price,HH]
9033 Recognition must precede the acquisition of basic concepts, so it is the fundamental intellectual process [Price,HH]
9032 Before we can abstract from an instance of violet, we must first recognise it [Price,HH]
9035 If judgement of a characteristic is possible, that part of abstraction must be complete [Price,HH]
9034 There may be degrees of abstraction which allow recognition by signs, without full concepts [Price,HH]
9036 There is pre-verbal sign-based abstraction, as when ice actually looks cold [Price,HH]
9037 Intelligent behaviour, even in animals, has something abstract about it [Price,HH]
9030 Abstractions can be interpreted dispositionally, as the ability to recognise or imagine an item [Price,HH]
9029 If ideas have to be images, then abstract ideas become a paradoxical problem [Price,HH]
14329 Some dispositional properties (such as mental ones) may have no categorical base [Price,HH]