What topic continuity problem?

Abstract

A common objection to the very idea of conceptual engineering is the topic continuity problem: whenever one tries to "reengineer" a concept, one only shifts attention away from one concept to another. Put differently, there is no such thing as conceptual revision: there's only conceptual replacement. Here, I show that topic continuity is compatible with conceptual replacement. Whether the topic is preserved in an act of conceptual replacement simply depends on what is being replaced (a conceptual tool or a conceptual role) and what the topic under discussion is. Thus, the topic continuity problem only arises from a failure to specify these two things.Also known as the "changing the subject objection" or "Strawson's challenge".

Legal Interpretation, Conceptual Ethics, and Alternative Legal Concepts

“…Or at least they might be "continuous" in relevant ways that would block charges of "changing the subject" when there is a shift from one topic to another. (For discussion, see Cappelen 2018;Kocurek 2022;McPherson and Plunkett 2021c;and Thomasson 2020. ) If that is right, then we might shift from one "legal-ish" concept to another and still count as talking about the same topic of law or legal interpretation, at least when the question of "topic continuity" is evaluated in certain contexts, given certain concerns.…”