Two meanings of “\(X\) depends on \(Y\)” that are easily conflated.
To assert a sense dependence of \(X\) on \(Y\) is to say: “.
To assert a reference dependence is to say: “.”
Brandom points out that we can have sense dependence without having reference dependence.
An example is a toy concept of beauty: “\(X\) is beautiful if looking at it elicits pleasure in people.” - This is asserting a sense dependence of beauty on people, but not a reference dependence. - It is intelligible that there could exist beautiful sunsets before there ever were people in the world, or if people never existed.