How does the engineering of concepts impact how we think about them? We sit down with Bojin Zhu to discuss what makes a concept, how concepts change over time, and what it means to build a methodology for understanding conceptual change. We chat about the intersection of the value and meaning of concepts with their pragmatic and societal implications. Our conversations spans concepts like liberty (whether it's a useful term), free will (what to make of it), truth (whether it exists), and pain (and how to understand our experience of it).

Show Notes:

Introduction to Conceptual Engineering

Understanding Concepts in Philosophy: Examining the controversial nature of concepts in philosophy and their role as elements of thought used to formulate ideas and statements, without taking a definitive stand on their exact nature.

Epistemic Pursuit: Viewing concepts as epistemic devices rather than metaphysical entities, focusing on their assessment and improvement.

Philosophical and Cognitive Science Intersection

Concepts and Representations: Exploring the relationship between concepts and representations in cognitive science, discussing their role as representational devices with varying metaphysical weight.

Philosophical Distinctions: Discussing the function and necessity of concepts, and the impact of psychological factors on their formation and use.

Practical Applications in Philosophy

Three Cases of Conceptual Engineering:

1. Scientific Concepts: Sharpening everyday concepts for scientific precision, such as the historical development of the concept of temperature.

2. Ethical-Political Concepts: Changing concepts like marriage and family to reflect societal improvements and ethical considerations.

3. Philosophical Concepts: Proposing changes to philosophical concepts for clarity and better understanding, exemplified by debates on the concept of truth.

Philosophical Issues and Theories

Truth and Knowledge: Discussing the historical perspective on truth and the evolution of the concept of knowledge, emphasizing the importance of identifying reliable knowers and norms of assertion and action.

Liberty and Equity: Analyzing the tension between liberty and equality in political philosophy, and the conceptual engineering required to reconcile these values.

Theoretical Debates and Practical Concerns

Free Will vs. Determinism: Addressing the debate between free will and determinism, highlighting Robert Sapolsky's view on the illusion of free will and the ethical implications of conceptual negotiation in this context.

Pain as a Concept: Examining the complex nature of pain, differentiating between sensory-discriminative and motivational-affective aspects, and discussing the evolutionary perspective and conceptual challenges in defining pain.

Broader Philosophical Implications

First-Person vs. Third-Person Perspectives: Reflecting on the deep philosophical problem of reconciling the first-person experiential view with the third-person scientific view of the world.

Radical Imagination and Conceptual Change: Considering the potential for significant conceptual changes over time, such as the shift in understanding human agency and free will.