more from Jerry A. Fodor

Single Idea 12629

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / g. Conceptual atomism]

Full Idea

Pure referentialism is the kind of semantics RTM requires (reference is the only primitive mind-world semantic property). ...So the content of a concept is its reference.

Clarification

RTM: Representational Theory of Mind

Gist of Idea

For the referential view of thought, the content of a concept is just its reference

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (LOT 2 [2008], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'LOT 2: the Language of Thought Revisited' [OUP 2008], p.16


A Reaction

This seems to say that the meaning of a concept is (typically) a physical object, which seems to be the 'Fido'-Fido view of meaning. It seems to me to be a category mistake to say that a meaning can be a cat.