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Single Idea 17376
[filed under theme 7. Existence / E. Categories / 2. Categorisation
]
Full Idea
The most important desideratum of a classificatory scheme is that assigning an object to a particular classification tell us as much as possible about that object.
Gist of Idea
We should aim for a classification which tells us as much as possible about the object
Source
John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], Ch 1)
Book Ref
Dupré,John: 'The Disorder of Things' [Harvard 1995], p.18
A Reaction
We should probably say that the aim is a successful explanation, rather than a heap of information. If we are totally baffled by a particular type of object, it is presumably important to group the instances together, to focus the bafflement.
The
17 ideas
from 'The Disorder of Things'
17374
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The possibility of prediction rests on determinism
[Dupré]
|
17375
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Natural kinds are decided entirely by the intentions of our classification
[Dupré]
|
17379
|
Borders between species are much less clear in vegetables than among animals
[Dupré]
|
17382
|
Cooks, unlike scientists, distinguish garlic from onions
[Dupré]
|
17380
|
Wales may count as fish
[Dupré]
|
17381
|
Phylogenetics involves history, and cladism rests species on splits in lineage
[Dupré]
|
17377
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All descriptive language is classificatory
[Dupré]
|
17378
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Presumably molecular structure seems important because we never have the Twin Earth experience
[Dupré]
|
17388
|
It seems that species lack essential properties, so they can't be natural kinds
[Dupré]
|
17389
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A species might have its essential genetic mechanism replaced by a new one
[Dupré]
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17385
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Kinds don't do anything (including evolve) because they are abstract
[Dupré]
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17384
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Even atoms of an element differ, in the energy levels of their electrons
[Dupré]
|
17387
|
Ecologists favour classifying by niche, even though that can clash with genealogy
[Dupré]
|
17386
|
The theory of evolution is mainly about species
[Dupré]
|
17383
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Species are the lowest-level classification in biology
[Dupré]
|
17390
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Natural kinds don't need essentialism to be explanatory
[Dupré]
|
17376
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We should aim for a classification which tells us as much as possible about the object
[Dupré]
|