Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Truth (frags)', 'Euthydemus' and 'On the Plurality of Worlds'

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19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 7. Meaning Holism / c. Meaning by Role
A particular functional role is what gives content to a thought [Lewis]
     Full Idea: Anything that is a thinker at all has a thought with a certain content in virtue of being in a state which occupies a certain functional role.
     From: David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 2.3)
     A reaction: So often Lewis seems to get things the wrong way round. Maybe if you invert his entire (fabulously consistent) philosophy, you get the right answer? I take the content to be what makes the role possible.