Seven Puzzles of Thought: And How to Solve Them: An Originalist Theory of Concepts - Hardcover

Sainsbury, R. M.; Tye, Michael

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9780199695317: Seven Puzzles of Thought: And How to Solve Them: An Originalist Theory of Concepts
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0199695318 ISBN 13: 9780199695317
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2012

Synopsis

How can one think about the same thing twice without knowing that it's the same thing? How can one think about nothing at all (for example Pegasus, the mythical flying horse)? Is thinking about oneself special? One could mistake one's car for someone else's, but it seems one could not mistake one's own headache for someone else's. Why not?

Mark Sainsbury and Michael Tye provide an entirely new theory--called "originalism"-- which provides simple and natural solutions to these puzzles and more. Originalism's central thesis is that concepts, the constituents of thoughts, are to be individuated by their origin, rather than epistemically or semantically. The doctrine has further valuable consequences for the nature of thought, our knowledge of our own thoughts, the nature of experience, the epistemology of perception-based beliefs, and for arguments based on conceivability. Sainsbury and Tye argue that although thought is special, there is no special mystery attaching to the nature of thought. Their account of the mind considers it as part of nature, as opposed to something with supernatural powers--which means that human beings have more opportunities to make mistakes than many have liked to think.

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About the Author

R. M. Sainsbury taught at the University of Oxford, University of Essex, and University of London (where he was Susan Stebbing Professor of Philosophy) before coming to the University of Austin in 2002.

Michael Tye encountered philosophy at Oxford, and taught at Temple University, St Andrews, and the University of London before coming to Austin in 2003.

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Publisher
Oxford University Press
Publication date
2012
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0199695318
ISBN 13 
9780199695317
Binding
Hardcover
Edition number
1
Number of pages
206
Rating
  • 4.57 out of 5 stars
    7 ratings by Goodreads

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780199688944: Seven Puzzles of Thought: And How to Solve Them: An Originalist Theory of Concepts

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  019968894X ISBN 13:  9780199688944
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2013
Softcover