Single Idea 8253

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 1. Empiricism]

Full Idea

The world's impressions on our senses are already possessed of conceptual content.

Gist of Idea

Sense impressions already have conceptual content

Source

John McDowell (Mind and World [1994], I.6)

Book Reference

McDowell,John: 'Mind and World' [Harvard 1996], p.18


A Reaction

This is a key idea of McDowell's, which challenges most traditional empiricist views, and (maybe) offers a solution to the rationalist/empiricist debate. His commitment to the 'space of reasons' strikes me as an optional extra.