Ryle and Strawson thinks that the task of philosopher is to offer a logical geography of our most important concepts. I do not doubt its sense, not at all.
But the scope of the discovery in philosophy seems to be larger than this. We do not onlyoffer a map for the already existing concepts.
I want to expand it a little bit, because there can be many mental phenomena which we still have no concepts for. This is suggested by Searle and Husserl. E.g., "background beliefs", "background presuppositions", "Retention", "Protention", etc. None of them are the concepts in our use when talking uncritically about the mind, yet they are important concepts, whose meaning determined in the process of philosophizing.
Now, this kind of thing happens always in the history of scientific discovery, why should it be any different in philosophy. It also has an real history in philosphy, the ideas of "Idea" or "Vorstellung", "Intentionalität" are simply inventions in the history of philosophy.
Hence, following the Analogy, the two aims of philosophy are:
1. To make a conceptual map for the land we have already stepped on. (Ryle, Strawson, Proper Task for Conservative Philosophers)
2. To discover the new land, name them, and then to make a conceptual map of it.(Task for More Adventurous Philosophers)
But the scope of the discovery in philosophy seems to be larger than this. We do not onlyoffer a map for the already existing concepts.
I want to expand it a little bit, because there can be many mental phenomena which we still have no concepts for. This is suggested by Searle and Husserl. E.g., "background beliefs", "background presuppositions", "Retention", "Protention", etc. None of them are the concepts in our use when talking uncritically about the mind, yet they are important concepts, whose meaning determined in the process of philosophizing.
Now, this kind of thing happens always in the history of scientific discovery, why should it be any different in philosophy. It also has an real history in philosphy, the ideas of "Idea" or "Vorstellung", "Intentionalität" are simply inventions in the history of philosophy.
Hence, following the Analogy, the two aims of philosophy are:
1. To make a conceptual map for the land we have already stepped on. (Ryle, Strawson, Proper Task for Conservative Philosophers)
2. To discover the new land, name them, and then to make a conceptual map of it.(Task for More Adventurous Philosophers)
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