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Single Idea 17982

[from 'The Big Book of Concepts' by Gregory L. Murphy, in 18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / e. Concepts from exemplars ]

Full Idea

The exemplar view has trouble with hierarchical classification and with induction in adults.

Gist of Idea

Exemplar theory struggles with hierarchical classification and with induction

Source

Gregory L. Murphy (The Big Book of Concepts [2004], Ch.13)

Book Reference

Murphy,Gregory L.: 'The Big Book of Concepts' [MIT 2004], p.485


A Reaction

To me these both strongly support essentialism - that you form the concept 'dog' from seeing some dogs, but you then extrapolate to large categories and general truths about dogs, on the assumption of the natures of the dogs you have seen.

Related Idea

Idea 17981 Children using knowing and essentialist categories doesn't fit the exemplar view [Murphy]