Single Idea 12614

[catalogued under 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 3. Ontology of Concepts / b. Concepts as abilities]

Full Idea

I argue for a very strong version of psychological atomism; one according to which what concepts you have is conceptually and metaphysically independent of what epistemic capacities you have.

Gist of Idea

I prefer psychological atomism - that concepts are independent of epistemic capacities

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (Concepts:where cogn.science went wrong [1998], Ch.1)

Book Reference

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'Concepts: where cognitive science went wrong' [OUP 1998], p.6


A Reaction

This is a frontal assault on the tradition of Frege, Dummett and Peacocke. I immediately find Fodor's approach more congenial, because he wants to say what a concept IS, rather than just place it within some larger scheme of things.