Grice, the shepherd

Sheepdogs are used by J. Baker (Grice's editor for _The Conception of
Value_) as yet another "mundane example of something like metaphysical transubstantiation" (p.8):

"To conceive of [the
herding] property as _essential_ would be to think of an animal whose job
or function it is to herd sheep, and this is of course what we mean by
'sheepdog' -- [relative to] what a purposive human requires in order to
engage in the activities involving the animals".

It just pains me to see so many of them dogs not fulfilling their rationes essendi in the posh parks of cities -- and sweating like mad, too. That's why I own an English _setter_, which just sets.