Single Idea 2472

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

Full Idea

It's a paradigmatically Pragmatist idea that having a concept consists in being able to do something.

Clarification

A 'paradigm' is a perfect example

Gist of Idea

For Pragmatists having a concept means being able to do something

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (In a Critical Condition [2000], Ch. 3)

Book Reference

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'In Critical Condition' [MIT 2000], p.29


A Reaction

If you defined a bicycle simply by what you could do with it, you wouldn't explain much. I wonder if pragmatism and functionalism come from the same intellectual stable?