Ideas from '(Nonsolipsistic) Conceptual Role Semantics' by Gilbert Harman [1987], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Reasoning Meaning and Mind' by Harman,Gilbert [OUP 1999,0-19-823802-9]].

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2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 6. Coherence
Reasoning aims at increasing explanatory coherence
Reason conservatively: stick to your beliefs, and prefer reasoning that preserves most of them
5. Theory of Logic / A. Overview of Logic / 1. Overview of Logic
We have a theory of logic (implication and inconsistency), but not of inference or reasoning
5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 2. Logical Connectives / d. and
I might accept P and Q as likely, but reject P-and-Q as unlikely
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
Reality is the overlap of true complete theories
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 6. Anti-Individualism
There is no natural border between inner and outer
We can only describe mental attitudes in relation to the external world
15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 5. Qualia / c. Explaining qualia
The way things look is a relational matter, not an intrinsic matter
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 5. Concepts and Language / a. Concepts and language
Concepts in thought have content, but not meaning, which requires communication
19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 6. Meaning as Use
Take meaning to be use in calculation with concepts, rather than in communication
The use theory attaches meanings to words, not to sentences
19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 7. Meaning Holism / c. Meaning by Role
Some regard conceptual role semantics as an entirely internal matter
Meaning from use of thoughts, constructed from concepts, which have a role relating to reality
The content of thought is relations, between mental states, things in the world, and contexts
19. Language / F. Communication / 3. Denial
If one proposition negates the other, which is the negative one?
19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / a. Translation
Mastery of a language requires thinking, and not just communication