ABSTRACT

Conceptual engineering projects have been criticized for creating discontinuities of subject-matter and, as a result, discontinuities in inquiries: call this the Change of Subject objection. In this paper, I explore a way of dealing with the objection that clarifies its scope and eventually downplays it. First, two strategies aimed at saving subject-continuity are examined and found wanting: Herman Cappelen’s appeal to topics, and the account in terms of concept function. Second, the idea is introduced that one can begin an object-level inquiry either with a ‘semantically conservative’ approach, whereby semantic change is not permitted, or with a ‘semantically progressive’ approach, whereby semantic change is permitted. This distinction helps one significantly downplay the Change of Subject objection.

摘要

人们批评概念工程项目会造成主题的不连续性，从而导致查询的不连续性：将其称为“主题变更异议”。在本文中，我探索了一种解决异议的方法，该异议阐明了其范围并最终淡化了它。首先，研究了两种旨在节省主题连续性的策略，并发现了它们的不足：Herman Cappelen对主题的吸引力，以及在概念功能方面的考虑。其次，引入了一种想法，即可以通过“语义保守”的方法（不允许语义更改）或通过“语义渐进的”方法（允许语义更改）开始对象级查询。这种区别有助于大大淡化主题变更异议。