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Full Idea
My assimilation of essence to definition ...may not provide us with an analysis of the concept, but it does provide us with a good model of how the concept works.
Gist of Idea
My account shows how the concept works, rather than giving an analysis
Source
Kit Fine (Essence and Modality [1994], p. 3)
Book Ref
-: 'Philosophical Perspectives' [-], p.3
A Reaction
An example of the modern shift in analytic philosophy, away from the dream of given a complete analysis of a concept, towards giving an account of the concepts relationships. Compare Shoemaker in Idea 8559.
Related Idea
Idea 8559 Analysis aims at internal relationships, not reduction [Shoemaker]