Conceptual attaching in perception and practice-based behavior

The paper explores a phenomenon that has yet to be considered by proponents of the Distributed Language Perspective, namely concept-infused perceptual activity. This kind of comportment need not entail utterance activity (or other kinds of expressions for that matter) nor the co-presence of an interlocutor. Drawing on insights mainly from Wittgenstein and Heidegger, I introduce the neologism of ‘conceptual attaching’ as a non-representationalist notion for coming to terms with acts of perception where concepts play a part. Further, I show how such behavior comprises a cornerstone in human practice-based behavior and, in so doing, shed light on a basic phenomenon that not only enables subjects to engage concept-infused activity but also to partake in language games.