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Single Idea 18612

[filed under theme 19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / b. Causal reference ]

Full Idea

Tests suggest that American subjects were significantly more likely than Chinese subjects to have intuitions in line with causal-historical theories of reference.

Gist of Idea

Americans are more inclined to refer causally than the Chinese are

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 8.1.3)

Book Ref

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.227


A Reaction

This is an example of 'experimental philosophy' in action (of which Machery is a champion). The underlying idea is that Americans are generally more disposed to think causally than the Chinese are. So more scientific? What do the Hopi do?

Related Idea

Idea 3916 Hopi consistently prefers verbs and events to nouns and things [Whorf]