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Single Idea 2471
[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 3. Ontology of Concepts / b. Concepts as abilities
]
Full Idea
Virtually all modern theorists about philosophy, mind or language tend to agree that concepts are capacities, in particular concepts are epistemic capacities.
Gist of Idea
Are concepts best seen as capacities?
Source
Jerry A. Fodor (In a Critical Condition [2000], Ch. 3)
Book Ref
Fodor,Jerry A.: 'In Critical Condition' [MIT 2000], p.27
A Reaction
This view seems to describe concepts in functional terms, which generates my perennial question: what is it about concepts that enables them to fulfil that particular role?
The
18 ideas
with the same theme
[concepts as abilities to believe, decide and reason]:
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14792
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A 'conception', the rational implication of a word, lies in its bearing upon the conduct of life
[Peirce]
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18975
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We return to experience with concepts, where they show us differences
[James]
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12576
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Possessing a concept is knowing how to go on
[Wittgenstein, by Peacocke]
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4157
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Concepts direct our interests and investigations, and express those interests
[Wittgenstein]
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12606
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Man learns the concept of the past by remembering
[Wittgenstein]
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10731
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For abstractionists, concepts are capacities to recognise recurrent features of the world
[Geach]
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7613
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Concepts are (at least in part) abilities and not occurrences
[Putnam]
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12575
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Concepts have a 'Generality Constraint', that we must know how predicates apply to them
[Evans, by Peacocke]
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12614
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I prefer psychological atomism - that concepts are independent of epistemic capacities
[Fodor]
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2471
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Are concepts best seen as capacities?
[Fodor]
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2472
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For Pragmatists having a concept means being able to do something
[Fodor]
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2438
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In the information view, concepts are potentials for making distinctions
[Fodor]
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12626
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Cartesians put concept individuation before concept possession
[Fodor]
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12577
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Possessing a concept is being able to make judgements which use it
[Peacocke]
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12578
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A concept is just what it is to possess that concept
[Peacocke]
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12587
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Employing a concept isn't decided by introspection, but by making judgements using it
[Peacocke]
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11123
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Maybe the concept CAT is just the ability to discriminate and infer about cats
[Margolis/Laurence]
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11125
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The abilities view cannot explain the productivity of thought, or mental processes
[Margolis/Laurence]
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