ABSTRACT
It would be odd if the only qualitative dimensions of the world were those which are tied to the sensory centers of the human brain.
The work of Wilfrid Sellars will be the starting point for my own theory of concepts. In the present chapter I examine some major theories of concepts that predate and overlap Sellars’ work – work done with an eye on the history of philosophy. Although theories of concepts are found in all philosophical traditions, I will focus on the empiricist tradition which provides the most explicit and sustained discussions of theories of meaning – which merge into theories of concepts. For these philosophers the nature of meaning is a central philosophic topic, and theories of meaning are a central tool in their approach to a variety of issues. I will offer both expositions and critiques of the philosophers I discuss, with the critiques mainly aimed at raising issues I will have to address in constructing my own account.
