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Single Idea 15689

[filed under theme 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / f. Theory theory of concepts ]

Full Idea

Theory-based approaches to categories are a response to the limitations of mere similarities holding the category together, and require knowledge-rich explanatory models to say which features are more central to a concept.

Gist of Idea

Theory-based concepts use rich models to show which similarities really matter

Source

Susan A. Gelman (The Essential Child [2003], 05 'Causation1')

Book Ref

Gelman,Susan A.: 'The Essential Child' [OUP 2005], p.109

A Reaction

I see a promising account in linking theory theory to essentialism. For a physical object (or even for a process) infer a structure, and then identify what is most important in that structure. That gives you your stable, agreed concept.

The 16 ideas with the same theme [concepts as components of our theories of reality]:

8791 The concept of 'green' involves a battery of other concepts [Sellars]
16511 A 'conception' of a horse is a full theory of what it is (and not just the 'concept') [Wiggins]
12623 The theory theory can't actually tell us what concepts are [Fodor]
9335 Concepts are constituted by their role in a group of propositions to which we are committed [Peacocke, by Greco]
15689 Theory-based concepts use rich models to show which similarities really matter [Gelman]
17978 We do not learn concepts in isolation, but as an integrated part of broader knowledge [Murphy]
18687 Concepts with familiar contents are easier to learn [Murphy]
18688 Some knowledge is involved in instant use of categories, other knowledge in explanations [Murphy]
18689 People categorise things consistent with their knowledge, even rejecting some good evidence [Murphy]
11137 The theory theory of concepts says they are parts of theories, defined by their roles [Margolis/Laurence]
11138 The theory theory is holistic, so how can people have identical concepts? [Margolis/Laurence]
18587 The theory account is sometimes labelled as 'knowledge' or 'explanation' in approach [Machery]
18600 Theory Theory says category concepts are knowledge stores explaining membership [Machery]
18601 Theory Theory says concepts are explanatory knowledge, and concepts form domains [Machery]
18607 Theory theorists rely on best explanation, rather than on similarities [Machery]
18608 If categorisation is not by similarity, it seems to rely on what properties things might have [Machery]