Özet:

The problem of relationship between perception and concepts is known with Kantian heritage. Here, what is called object, emerged in the way of the function of synthetical unity of the mind. Then our question becomes could the operation of adding the conceptual to the given in perception be the only function of mind? If it were so, (giving the explanation of) explaining the relationship between perception and concepts would hardly be possible. Since in this case a third causal function should be required to construct the relationship between external-sensorial and internal-conceptual. Thus, this requirement could only mean that mind is a conceptual apparatus. However, (mind has many other functions alongside the conceptual-theoretical function) conceptual-theoretical function is not the only function that mind does have. That is, perception could not only be limited as the perception of the object. Concept as a mental process is not different from perception; rather perception itself is a mental process too. According to Kant concepts are a priori and I agree with this view. Yet, here the point is to decide how concepts are a priori and how sensation affects concepts. Once this question is answered, (it could be possible to throw light to) the relationship between concepts and sensation could be illuminated. This problem also could be solved by investigating the more archaic functions of perception. In this context I am taking into consideration expressive-function in terms of the relationship between perception and concept.In this paper, I will address the above mentioned view in terms of Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of mind which I define (this) as a kind of ‘functionalism.’

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