Why Conceptual Engineers Should Not Worry About Topics

Abstract

This paper argues for explanatory eliminativism about topics (and cognates, such as subject matters) relative to the domain of conceptual engineering. It has become usual to think that topics serve an important explanatory role in theories of conceptual engineering, namely, to determine the limits of revision. I argue, first, that such limits can be understood either as the normative limits pertaining to the justification of conceptual engineering, as the metaphysical limits pertaining to the identity of the concepts in question, or as the terminological limits pertaining to usage of the original terminology. Second, I argue that the metaphysical reading is disputable as a theory of concepts and inconsequential for conceptual engineers, and that neither of the two leading accounts of topics that have been presented in the literature—the samesaying account and functionalism—determine the limits of revision in either of the two remaining senses. In the absence of more promising competitors, I conclude that there is no theoretical role for topics to play in theories of conceptual engineering. An upshot of my argument is that conceptual engineers should stop worrying about things like topic (dis)continuity, and instead shift their attention to the issues that really matter for justifying conceptual revisions or replacements, making terminological choices, and underpinning conceptual engineering with a theory of concepts.

Conceptual engineering, predictive processing, and a new implementation problem

“…Cappelen argued for this claim based on the assumption that the factors that determine the meaning of linguistic expressions are either inscrutable or out of our control. Some philosophers have also argued that even if implementing conceptual changes were possible, they may potentially change the topic (called "Strawson's challenge", Cappelen, 2018, p. 105;Pinder, 2020;Brun, 2016; but see Koch, 2023). 2 In this article, we develop the-to the best of our knowledge-first account of how CE projects can be cognitively implemented.…”