Philosophical Psychology 22 (1):37 – 60 (2009)
Authors |
|
Abstract |
Some experimental studies have recently claimed to undermine semantic externalism about natural kind terms. However, it is unclear how philosophical accounts of reference can be experimentally tested. We present two externalistic adaptations of psychological placeholder essentialism, a strict externalist and a hybrid externalist view, which are experimentally testable. We examine Braisby, Franks, and Hampton's (1996) study which claims to undermine externalism, and argue that the study fails in its aims. We conducted two experiments, the results of which undermine internalism and the hybrid theory, and support strict externalism. Our conclusion is that lay speakers' natural kind concepts involve a belief in an external category essence, which determines reference.
|
Keywords | Psychological essentialism Reference Semantic externalism Natural kind terms |
Categories | (categorize this paper) |
DOI | 10.1080/09515080802703687 |
Options |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Download options
References found in this work BETA
Naming and Necessity.Saul Kripke - 1980 - In Darragh Byrne & Max Kölbel (eds.), Philosophy. Routledge. pp. 431-433.
Semantics, Cross-Cultural Style.Edouard Machery, Ron Mallon, Shaun Nichols & Stephen Stich - 2004 - Cognition 92 (3):1-12.
View all 13 references / Add more references
Citations of this work BETA
Water is and is Not H 2 O.Kevin P. Tobia, George E. Newman & Joshua Knobe - 2020 - Mind and Language 35 (2):183-208.
On Deriving Essentialism From the Theory of Reference.Jussi Haukioja - 2015 - Philosophical Studies 172 (8):2141-2151.
From Constitutional Necessities to Causal Necessities.Jessica M. Wilson - 2010 - In Helen Beebee & Nigel Sabbarton-Leary (eds.), The Semantics and Metaphysics of Natural Kinds. Routledge.
A Multiple Realization Thesis for Natural Kinds.Kevin Lynch - 2012 - European Journal of Philosophy 20 (3):389-406.
View all 6 citations / Add more citations
Similar books and articles
The Semantic Realism/Anti-Realism Dispute and Knowledge of Meanings.Panu Raatikainen - 2009 - The Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication 5:1-13.
Psychological Essentialism and Semantic Externalism Evidence for Externalism in Lay Speakers' Language Use.Jussi Jylkka, Henry Railo & Jussi Haukioja - 2008 - Proceedings of the Xxii World Congress of Philosophy 39 (1):105-110.
Concepts and Reference: Defending a Dual Theory of Natural Kind Concepts.Jussi Jylkkä - 2008 - Dissertation, University of Turku
'Chocolate' and Other Kind Terms: Implications for Semantic Externalism.Mark Greene - 2011 - Philosophical Quarterly 61 (243):270-292.
Semantic Internalism and Externalism.Katalin Farkas - 2006 - In Ernest Lepore & Barry C. Smith (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Language. Oxford University Press. pp. 323.
Intuitions, Externalism, and Conceptual Analysis.Jussi Haukioja - 2009 - Studia Philosophica Estonica 2 (2):81-93.
Semantic Externalism, Language Variation, and Sociolinguistic Accommodation.Daniel Lassiter - 2008 - Mind and Language 23 (5):607-633.
Was Heidegger an Externalist?Cristina Lafont - 2005 - Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy 48 (6):507 – 532.
The Depths and Shallows of Psychological Externalism.Andrew Sneddon - 2008 - Philosophical Studies 138 (3):393 - 408.
Analytics
Added to PP index
2009-02-18
Total views
713 ( #7,734 of 2,421,925 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
6 ( #123,841 of 2,421,925 )
2009-02-18
Total views
713 ( #7,734 of 2,421,925 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
6 ( #123,841 of 2,421,925 )
How can I increase my downloads?
Downloads