Phil Ch 4

Sign (Aquinas)

something in which something else is known

Instrumental Sign

something that exists in its own right

Formal Sign

no existence apart from its role as a sign

Phantasm

sign in the imagination representing something that could be grasped through sensation

Concept

sign in the intellect of something that can be thought about; formal sign

Natural Sign

meaning is determined by the nature of the very thing that is the sign, not be human reasoning

Conventional Sign

meaning is determined by human will

Plato’s View on Concepts

humans are born already possessing concepts

Aristotle’s View on Concepts

humans must acquire concepts

“Accidents” of an Object

attributes that may or may not belong to an object, but the object still stays the same in kind

“Essence” of a Thing

that by which the thing is the kind of thing that it is; can be thought (through the concept)

Logic aims to teach us… (Albert)

the means by which we can pass from the known to the unknown

Understanding of the Indivisible

our grasp of simple natures

Reasoning

proceeds from something known to a discovering of the unknown

First Part of Logic

understanding simple natures

Second Part of Logic

understanding where we know the truths and falsehoods expressed in propositions

Third Part of Logic

act of reasoning itself (premises→ conclusion)

Through logic we can learn…

how to construct definitions; what’s involved in making propositions; how to order propositions as premises from which to correctly derive conclusions

Concepts are gained through…

our senses

Things are different because of their…

1) essence

2) philosophical significance

Sign

anything known by which something else is known (anything that has meaning?)

Two Attributes of a Sign

a thing is a sign in and of itself; the sign can refer to something else beyond itself

Instrumental Signs

objective reality

Conventional Signs

(determined by) humans (ex. telling your friend something)

Natural Sign

nature- not involved with human thought

Formal Sign

subjective reality (what’s in your mind)

Phantasms

images

Concepts

words/terms