Abstract
The central Fodorian objections to Inferential Role Semantics (IRS) can be taken to include an 'Analyt- icity Challenge' and a 'Circularity Challenge', which are ultimately challenges to IRS explanations of concept possession. In this paper I present inferential role theories, critically examine those two challenges and point out two misunderstandings to which the challenges are exposed. I then state in detail a rationalist ver- sion of IRS and argue that this version meets the Fodorian challenges head on. If sound, this line of argu- ment shows that there is no problem of principle in the consideration of IRS as a good candidate for a the- ory of concepts.
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