Single Idea 20301

[catalogued under 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 1. Analytic Propositions]

Full Idea

It may be that the meaning properties of a term are the ones that play a basic explanatory role with regard to the use of the term generally, the ones in virtue ultimately of which a term is used with that meaning.

Gist of Idea

The meaning properties of a term are those which explain how the term is typically used

Source

Georges Rey (The Analytic/Synthetic Distinction [2013], 4.3)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.12


A Reaction

[He cites Devitt 1996, 2002, and Horwich 1998, 2005) I spring to philosophical life whenever I see the word 'explanatory', because that is the point of the whole game. They are pointing to the essence of the concept (which is explanatory, say I).

Related Idea

Idea 20292 Analytic judgements clarify, by analysing the subject into its component predicates [Kant]