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Single Idea 20959

[from 'Dialektik' by Friedrich Schleiermacher, in 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 4. Analytic/Synthetic Critique ]

Full Idea

The difference between analytic and synthetic judgements is an unimportant fluid one. 'Ice melts' is analytic if it is already taken up into the concept of ice, and synthetic if not yet taken up. It is just a different state of the formation of concepts.

Gist of Idea

Concepts are only analytic once the predicate is absorbed into the subject

Source

Friedrich Schleiermacher (Dialektik [1833], p.563), quoted by Andrew Bowie - Introduction to German Philosophy 8 'Scientific'

Book Reference

Bowie,Andrew: 'Introduction to German Philosophy' [Polity 2003], p.179


A Reaction

[compressed] I wonder if Quine ever encountered this quotation. The idea refers to Kant's notion of analyticity, and makes the good point that predicates only become 'contained in the subject' once the situation is very familiar.