Sortals for Dummies |
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Authors: | John E Sarnecki |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Ave, Toledo, OH 43606-3390, USA |
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Abstract: | Advocates of sortal essentialism have argued that concepts like “thing” or “object” lack the unambiguous individuative criteria
necessary to play the role of genuine sortals in reference. Instead, they function as “dummy sortals” which are placeholders
or incomplete designations. In disqualifying apparent placeholder sortals, however, these philosophers have posed insuperable
problems for accounts of childhood conceptual development. I argue that recent evidence in psychology demonstrates that children do possess simple or basic sortals of physical objects or things. I contend that these concepts provide the genuine individuative
criteria necessary for reference. As a consequence, sortalism can be made compatible with the developmental facts of conceptual
development.
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Keywords: | Sortals Concepts Conceptual development Bare particulars |
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