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Full Idea
Philosophical concepts of interest are rarely reductively defined; still more rarely does our understanding of such concepts rest on definitions. ...(We generally understand concepts to the extent that we know what role they play in thinking).
Gist of Idea
Philosophical concepts are rarely defined, and are not understood by means of definitions
Source
Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 02.1)
Book Ref
Sider,Theodore: 'Writing the Book of the World' [OUP 2011], p.9
A Reaction
I'm not sure that I agree with this. I suspect that Sider has the notion of definition in mind that is influenced by lexicography. Aristotle's concept of definition I take to be lengthy and expansive, and that is very relevant to philosophy.
| 602 | Some fools think you cannot define anything, but only say what it is like [Antisthenes (I), by Aristotle] |
| 5619 | No a priori concept can be defined [Kant] |
| 22201 | The use of mathematical-style definitions in philosophy is fruitless and harmful [Husserl] |
| 14115 | Definition by analysis into constituents is useless, because it neglects the whole [Russell] |
| 14159 | In mathematics definitions are superfluous, as they name classes, and it all reduces to primitives [Russell] |
| 12619 | We have no successful definitions, because they all use indefinable words [Fodor] |
| 9331 | How do we determine which of the sentences containing a term comprise its definition? [Horwich] |
| 12585 | Most people can't even define a chair [Peacocke] |
| 14981 | Philosophical concepts are rarely defined, and are not understood by means of definitions [Sider] |
| 15015 | It seems possible for a correct definition to be factually incorrect, as in defining 'contact' [Sider] |
| 20391 | Feminists warn that ideologies use timeless objective definitions as a tool of repression [Davies,S] |