Sarah%20Sawyer%20CJP%20Cappelen%27s%20Fixing%20Language%20Symposium%202019.pdf (235.55 kB)
The role of concepts in fixing language
This is a contribution to the symposium on Herman Cappelen’s book Fixing Language. Cappelen proposes a metasemantic framework—the “Austerity Framework”—within which to understand the general phenomenon of conceptual engineering. The proposed framework is austere in the sense that it makes no reference to concepts. Conceptual engineering is then given a “worldly” construal according to which conceptual engineering is a process that operates on the world. I argue, contra Cappelen, that an adequate theory of conceptual engineering must make reference to concepts. This is because concepts are required to account for topic continuity, a phenomenon which lies at the heart of projects in conceptual engineering. I argue that Cappelen’s own account of topic continuity is inadequate as a result of the austerity of his metasemantic framework, and that his worldly construal of conceptual engineering is untenable.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Accepted version
Journal
Canadian Journal of PhilosophyISSN
0045-5091Publisher
Taylor and FrancisExternal DOI
Issue
5Volume
50Page range
555-565Department affiliated with
- Philosophy Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2019-02-07First Open Access (FOA) Date
2021-01-20First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2019-02-06Usage metrics
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