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Single Idea 12660

[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / d. Concepts as prototypes ]

Full Idea

The same stereotype can give difference concepts; chickens are paradigmatic instances both of FOOD and of BARNYARD FOWL.

Clarification

Fodor uses capitals for the concept, rather than the word

Gist of Idea

One stereotype might be a paradigm for two difference concepts

Source

Jerry A. Fodor (LOT 2 [2008], Ch.5.4)

Book Ref

Fodor,Jerry A.: 'LOT 2: the Language of Thought Revisited' [OUP 2008], p.155

A Reaction

And I'm guessing that lots of concepts could have two equally plausible stereotypes, even within a single mind. Stereotypes are interesting, but they don't seem to be the key to our understanding of concepts.

The 22 ideas with the same theme [concepts as built around typical examples of things]:

12622 Many concepts lack prototypes, and complex prototypes aren't built from simple ones [Fodor]
12659 Maybe stereotypes are a stage in concept acquisition (rather than a by-product) [Fodor]
12660 One stereotype might be a paradigm for two difference concepts [Fodor]
15688 Categories are characterized by distance from a prototype [Gelman]
17975 There is no 'ideal' bird or dog, and prototypes give no information about variability [Murphy]
17976 Prototypes are unified representations of the entire category (rather than of members) [Murphy]
18691 The prototype theory uses observed features, but can't include their construction [Murphy]
17983 The prototype theory handles hierarchical categories and combinations of concepts well [Murphy]
17985 Prototypes theory of concepts is best, as a full description with weighted typical features [Murphy]
17986 Learning concepts is forming prototypes with a knowledge structure [Murphy]
11132 The prototype theory is probabilistic, picking something out if it has sufficient of the properties [Margolis/Laurence]
11133 Prototype theory categorises by computing the number of shared constituents [Margolis/Laurence]
11134 People don't just categorise by apparent similarities [Margolis/Laurence]
11135 Complex concepts have emergent properties not in the ingredient prototypes [Margolis/Laurence]
11136 Many complex concepts obviously have no prototype [Margolis/Laurence]
18594 Knowing typical properties of things is especially useful in induction [Machery]
18593 The term 'prototype' is used for both typical category members, and the representation [Machery]
18595 Prototype theories are based on computation of similarities with the prototype [Machery]
18596 Prototype theorists don't tell us how we select the appropriate prototype [Machery]
18603 Maybe concepts are not the typical properties, but the ideal properties [Machery]
18605 It is more efficient to remember the prototype, than repeatedly create it from exemplars [Machery]
18606 The prototype view predicts that typical members are easier to categorise [Machery]