more from Willard Quine

Single Idea 16938

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 7. Seeing Resemblance]

Full Idea

According to the 'respects' view, our learning of yellow by ostension would have depended on our first having been told or somehow apprised that it was going to be a question of color.

Clarification

'ostension' is pointing out

Gist of Idea

To learn yellow by observation, must we be told to look at the colour?

Source

Willard Quine (Natural Kinds [1969], p.122)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ontological Relativity and Other Essays' [Columbia 1969], p.122


A Reaction

Quine suggests there is just one notion of similarity, and respects can be 'abstracted' afterwards. Even the ontologically ruthless Quine admits psychological abstraction!