A Two-Dimensionalist Guide to Conceptual Analysis

According to epistemic two-dimensionalism, or simply two dimensionalism, linguistic expressions are associated with two intensions, one of which represents an expression’s a priori implications. The author investigates the prospects of conceptual analysis on the basis of a two-dimensionalist theory of meaning. He discusses a number of arguments for and against two-dimensional semantics and argues that properly construed, two-dimensionalism provides a potent and plausible account of meaning. Against the background of this account, the author goes on to assess the value of conceptual analysis in philosophical practice, outlining its goals, its promises, but also its limitations.

Jens Kipper is a postdoctoral researcher in philosophy at the University of Cologne.