PHIL 2 Puzzles and Paradoxes Fall 2020

Week 2 Quiz

In a concise—1-page—yet nevertheless coherent and well-structured essay, respond to the following prompt:

Present and briefly discuss the (first) paradox of analysis.

discussion

The Ackerman reading invites us to think about a paradox concerning conceptual analysis – a paradox concerning how to properly analyze concepts in order to better understand the world. However, as we’ve seen in the lectures, Ackerman’s solution to this paradox faces some problems, and she seems to offer inadequate solutions. And so, “our thinking about concepts and the world does not seem to involve the language that we need to communicate those thoughts” (lecture notes, 2.4, p. 2).

For this week, explain what conceptual analysis is and then respond to the following: Is conceptual analysis a fruitful way of making sense of the world? If you think so, give your own reasons for thinking so. If not, give your own reasons for thinking not. And make sure to provide examples to explain and justify your reasons.