Lexicon of Arguments

 

I 54
Intension/Chalmers: intension is a function that defines how a concept is used in different situations. It is not the same as "meaning" and also not a definition.
>Meaning, >Definitions, >Situations, >Reference, >Use, cf. >Extension.
I 57
Intension/Chalmers: depending on whether a concept picks out an object in the actual world, or in a counterfactual world, I will speak of primary and secondary intension.
>Concepts, >Possible worlds, >Actual world, >Terminology/Chalmers.
Secondary Intension/Chalmers: secondary intension is therefore, independent of empirical factors. It describes how reference depends on how the outer world turns out.
>twin earth, > rigidity).
I 61
When counterfactual worlds are involved, it is not a priori determined what the reference is, since the actual world can be determined by different speakers as their own (mirror-inverted), >Centered Worlds/Quine.
The determination as a primary or secondary intension will then also vary inversely.
Cf. >Intensions/Stalnaker, >Propositions/Chalmers.
I 62
Meaning/Chalmers: Both primary as well as secondary intensions are candidates for the "meaning" of a concept. "Water" could mean H₂O, or twin earth water, depending on what is meant by the concept in the respective world.
I 63
Necessary Truth/Chalmers: both can even be constructed as a necessary truth when possible worlds are conceived as uttering contexts.
Cf. >Character/Kaplan, >Content/Kaplan, >Two-dimensional Semantics.
I 200
Primary Intension/Chalmers: For example, the largest star in the universe: picks out a star in every given centered world. Even non-existent objects have a primary intension, e.g. the Nicholas, (Santa Claus). This primary intension could have picked out an object if the world had turned out accordingly.
Cf. >Non-existence, >Possibilia.
For my concept of consciousness, the primary intension is more important than a causal relation to an object.
>Consciousness/Chalmers.
I 205
Also, a zombie can have primary intensions that are overlapping with mine.
>Zombies.
I 206
Quality/Qualia: primary intensions do not specify Qualia.
>Qualia.